Childish Jokers
by TarrentBellatrixBurtonTodd
Summary: He was sick, twisted, completely insane...and he made me one of the most feared names in all of Gotham. I fell from grace, and it's all his fault! T for a bit of gore and extremely mild language (Just to be safe)! I do not own TDK or Warner Bros, but you already knew that! Joker/Harley and Joker/OC
1. Just a Friend

I was sitting under the maple tree in the corner of the school yard, watching everyone run back and forth. Everyone was with someone else but me. Sorry, I was lying, me and a boy over the opposite side on the yard, sitting crossed legged, shuffling a pack of cards. I looked at him, closely He had shoulder length, dirty blonde hair, that hung to hide his face. After a minute I got up and dodged my way through the crowd. I stopped about a meter away from him and said, 'Can I play?'

He looked up, pushing his hair out of his face, and nodded. I sat opposite him and he shuffled the cards again. Now that I saw his face, I saw it had scratches and a hint of a bruise surfacing under his left cheek.

'You're Gwen. Right?' his accent had a twang of the deep south to it, 'You're not from around here are ya?'

'Wow, how'd you guess?' I said, sarcastically, making him raise an eyebrow, 'sorry. I'm from England.'

He didn't say anything. OK so he didn't want to talk. I should really give up trying to be nice to people, it gets you no where. I tried again, 'So, whats your name?'

he looked at me with eyebrows knitted together, then laughed slightly. I looked at him, eyebrows raised, and head tilted.

'Look, I get that you're trying to be the new girl who gets everything and everyone falling at her feet, and maybe that'll work out for ya, but I don't need some daddy's girl hanging about till she finds something better, get the picture?' he said, with a harsh tone to his voice, making Gwen smirk.

'OK, you don't want anyone about ruining your pride then fine, but,' I looked around, turning back to him, shrugging,'I don't think anyone's really paying much attention at the minute!' with that I smiled, sickly sweet, and fake as anything and turned away. I didn't need this again! I got enough of that normally. I left the boy sitting at the foot of the tree, alone again, as was I.

I guess this is the bit where I explain all about my amazing life, full of happiness and joy! Yeah, well when that happens, you will be the first to know! So start with the basics. My name is Gwen. Gwenevire Wayne. Originally come from the North East of England, I came here to Gotham to live with my distant, and only living relatives. My parents were killed because of my father's work with the Government. So I currently reside with my cousin Bruce Wayne, and his butler Alfred Pennyworth. I've been in America for about a month now, and only started school a week ago. Bruce has homeschooling with Alfred. I refused homeschooling. So here I am, on my own, already hated by everyone at the Gotham High School, because of my accent, music taste, and sense of fashion. I don't care what they think though. I never have cared what anyone thinks.

I leaned against the wall, taking my phone from my jeans back pocket, flipping it open, to find three texts from Bruce. I smiled. despite only meeting him a month ago, and the fact that he's a year younger, we get along well.

_Hey, Gwen, how r u? text me when u get this :)_

__Then again:

_hows school?_

__And again:

_you ok? text me, Alfred worrying! _

I laughed a little, typing a reply: _Bruce CHILL! am fine, promise, tell Alfred not to worry about me! can take care of myself :P u ok?_

__I slid down the wall to the floor, flicking through my phone photos. There were a few of Wayne Manor, I just had to take, one or two of my old dog, Jack (he was a Jack Russel-imaginative name, I know!) and then stopped at a photo of my mum and dad. They looked so happy. I was when the three of us had gone for a meal at TGI Fridays for my birthday. It wasn't long before they died. I set the picture as my home screen, as my phone buzzed a reply from Bruce:_ fine, Alfred sa_ys _hi! :) do u want a lift home tonite?_

_Yeah, but why don't we meet somewhere not at the school, don't want to draw attention! how about at that big shopping center in Gotham City Center at 4ish? want to wander the city a bit._

__When Bruce replied confirming the plans, I flipped my phone closed, as the bell rang for the last two lessons of the day. I sat at the back of the class (Chemistry), as people filed into class. two hours, I thought, just two more hours!

* * *

The school day ended, and I was on my way to Gotham City Center. I had my headphones in playing My Chemical Romance, as I took in my surroundings. the city was huge, with towering buildings, and busy roads. As I walked, I stopped at the entrance to a small alleyway, hearing a banging, thumping and maniacal laughter. I recognized two boys from my school standing over a boy, who was hidden from my sight. The boy in question was slumped against a huge dumpster. I took my headphones out, putting them away, and cautiously making my way towards them. the two boys had their backs to me.

'Look, Napier, you got yourself in too deep this time!' said the taller of the boys. The other one, who was shorter, and rather plump, laughed, adding, 'Yeah, there's no talking your way outta this one!'

I took my bag off my back, dumping it by the wall, as I came closer. The boys turned to face me, looking confused, and rather amused. The taller boy was only a little taller than me, and had a golden tan, whereas the shorter boy looked pale, but strong. I stood my ground, as they advanced on me, 'What we got here, Chris?'

'What do you think you're doing?' I said, still standing my ground.

The tall boy, or Chris, laughed, 'Ha! Think you're tough do you? We gotta live one here, Matt!'

Matt laughed along. I smirked, 'think it's clever do you, picking on someone half your size? You ain't gotta clue, have you?!'

Chris looked mad, 'You got some nerve! You think just cos you're a girl I'll take it easy on ya?' he began to advance on me.

'Careful, boys, this is my first time!' I smirked. Chris took a swung at my face, but I ducked, kneeing him hard in the crotch. Bent double in pain, I grabbed the back of his head with both hands, and brought his forehead crashing to my knee. He fell nearly unconscious to my feet. I looked at Matt, who stood startled. I raised my eyebrows, causing him to back off. He pulled Chris to his feet and they scarpered. I looked round to see the boy who I had just 'saved' from a beating. He had shoulder length, dirty blonde hair, and deep brown eyes.

'Not exactly what you expected from a daddy's girl did you?' I held out my hand for him to take. He did, and I pulled him to his feet. he looked at me with an awkward expression I couldn't quite read.

'Where'd'ya learn that?' he asked, tentatively.

'Here and there. What they got on you?' I asked. He looked away, 'Oh come on, I just saved your sorry ass, and I don't even know your name! least you could do is tell me that! Or maybe a thank you?'

'It's Jack, and, er..thanks,' he muttered.

I cupped my ear, 'Sorry, I didn't quite catch that!'

'I said Thanks! And I'm sorry! I'm sorry I misjudged you! Geez, happy now?' he huffed. I smiled, satisfied, 'Yes! That's all I wanted to hear.'

He huffed again, rubbing the back of his neck. He was a little taller than myself. He wasn't exactly scrawny, or weak, in fact, he was rather muscly, so I was confused on why he couldn't defend himself against the two guys.

'So, looking at you now, you don't seem like the type to give up easy in a fight, especially when he can easily take them on, so, why then couldn't you hold them off?' i asked, folding my arms, leaning against the wall by the dumpster.

'I wasn't giving up, or getting beaten, _Brit_! I had the situation under control! Anyway, what's it to you?' he muttered, huffing again.

'Like I say, I was the one who saved your god damn ass! So I would like to know why I was called to do that! You wonder why people don't talk to you! You're so stubborn!' I almost shouted, moving towards my discarded bag, slinging it over my back, turning to leave, 'I'll not bother talking to you if you're gonna be like that! I'll not waste my breath.'

I left him alone in the alleyway, resuming my original route to Gotham City Center. I had walked about a foot or two from the alley when I heard his footsteps hurrying to my side.

'Wait, wait, wait, I'm sorry, ok? Not used to people actually trying to be civilized!' he confessed. I smiled a little.

'Well, I'm not used to beating guys bigger than me in alleyways, guess we're both having a weird day!' I said. He sighed a laugh.

'So, Gwen! Tell me, what brings you to Gotham?' he asked a bit out of the blue.

I paused, 'Family issues! Parents were killed in a car crash, so I came to live with my only living relatives which, up until about a month ago, I never knew existed!'

'Well, that's ...er... not good, I guess. I'm sorry,'he spluttered. Clearly concern and compassion were missed here.

'Yeah, not good.'

'Who's your relatives? Would I know them?' he asked.

' Well...You know Wayne Enterprises?' I said, nervously waiting a reaction.

'God, ya landed on your feet there, didn't'cha?!' he said, making me laugh.

'I guess so. What about you? Where about do you come from?' changing the subject from me.

'Not everyone gets to live a high life of luxury, ya know! I live in the Narrows. You may not know it yet, but ever find yourself, _er_, taking a midnight _stroll_ through the dark alleys of the Narrows, you'll need a little more then a couple good moves to get'cha outta there!' he laughed to himself at this.

'You're mad, you know that?!' I joked. he stopped laughing, looked at me, and burst into hysterics.

'What?' I asked, incredulously.

'I'm not the only freak here you know! _You_ don't exactly fit the _requirement_s of normal, do ya, _Brit_?!' he laughed harder still. It was like a crazed cackle. my phone buzzed in my back pocket at this. It was Bruce:

_u nearly there? will be 5 mins :)_

I replied:

_ok, will meet u there :P_

__I flipped the phone shut, putting it back in my pocket. Jack wiped his tears of laughter away, saying, 'Who ya textin? the boyfriend?'

'You really expect me to have a boyfriend?! No, it was Bruce! I'm meeting him at the Gotham shopping center in 5 minutes.'

'Well, It's just round the corner, so you'll be on time! don't wanna miss the limo do ya!' he laughed a little.

' You are completely mental!' I muttered. we turned the corner, to find Alfred and Bruce in the Black Bentley outside the shopping center. i turned to Jack, saying, 'I've gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow, ok?'

He saluted, saying, in a sarcastic voice, 'Yes ma'am!'

'Don't go down any more dark alleys!' and with that i opened the car door, and slumped into the seat by Bruce. i waved at Jack as we left.

'Who was that?' asked Bruce.

I smiled, 'Just a friend.'


	2. Scars

It had been three years since Jack and I became friends. Best friends, even though we didn't act like it. He was sarcastic, rude spiteful, and to be honest I was right back at him, but we were closer than anything. Not like I was with Bruce. He wasn't a little cousin, he was a brother to me! And I wouldn't wouldn't it anyway! A lot happened in three years. I got a job, interning at Gotham Police Department, passed driving lessons, had first kiss (but that relationship ended disastrously!), you know, the usual stuff you'd expect. But this was the day I'd rather have forgotten, the day I could never forget, because this day changed everything.

* * *

'Jack, what the hell have you done now?' I asked exasperated, as Jack came hurrying towards me from across the school yard, with a look I knew all too well. I was sat finishing off some homework, under the maple tree in the yard. I looked Jack up and down, seeing he had smears of colorful paint on his shoes, and his shirt sleeves, and the tips of his fingers, 'Oh God, Jack, what have you done?'

He smirked, sitting opposite me, 'Oh, Gwenny, don't you worry your pretty little head about me! Just sit back and enjoy the fireworks!'

I felt like my stomach had dropped to my feet, 'You haven't set off firework, have you?'

He laughed, 'No, no, no, I'm not doing that again for a while! No, you should hear them in about three, two-' he was cut off by the sound of the fuming voice of the head mistresses voice through the speakers, yelling, '_Jack Napier, get to the principles office, **now**_**!'**

he smiled, pleased with himself, saying, 'Got to go, dearest, got some work to do!' he turned and almost skipped to the schools entrance. I hurried, stuffing my work into my bag, slinging it over my shoulder, running after him. I caught up with him, knocking his side, making him look at at me.

'Jack, tell me, what have you done?' I said, sternly.

He smirked, 'Well, let me show you!' we passed the art rooms, with the exam pieces, all ready to be assessed, now ruined with paint splatters, crude words, and rips in the canvases. I looked around the room, startled, 'Jack, what the Hell?! Why, why did you do that?' I cried, staring at him.

'I was making my own art work, dear! And don't worry, I didn't touch your work, just the others!' he pulled me away from the room, dragging me to the principle's office. when we came to the door, he let go of my arm, saying, 'I'll be out in a bit! Stick around for a while,' and with that he tapped my cheek with his palm twice, smirking, and opening the door, cried, 'Hey, Lizzie! Miss me?' the door swung closed as miss Banks said, 'You address me as Miss, or Miss Banks, how many times have I told you, Jack?' I trapped my fingers in the door, holding it slightly ajar, so I could hear everything.

'But, Miss, you call me by my first name!' he said, innocently.

'Stop changing the subject! You broke into the art rooms, vandalizing the pieces of exam work, which are yet to be assessed! This is unacceptable behavior, Napier!'

'Aw, how'd'ya know it was me?' he asked in mock surprise.

'Well,' came the voice of Miss Banks, 'you signed each painting with your name, and you vandalized each piece, but avoided Gwenevire Waynes. Now, I know she's right outside the door, waiting for you, so if you would like to come in dear, that's fine.'

Nervously, I pushed open the door, smiling, awkwardly, 'Sorry, miss, I was just waiting for Jack. I'll wait outside,' I started to leave, before she said, 'No, it's fine, I know Jack will just tell you everything I tell him anyway. I would like to speak to you too.'

Jack turned to look at me, winking, and tapped the arm of the chair beside his. I moved forward to sit down, smiling awkwardly again at Miss Banks, avoiding Jacks gaze. Miss Banks was short, plump, and had a kind face. She was about in her late fifties or early sixties, and had a wrinkled face. she smiled sweetly at me before turning to look at Jack again with a stern voice. She was nice, but got in her bad books (as Jack had so successfully managed) she was evil!

'So the question is, what do we do about you now, Jack? Call your parents?' she said, in a harsh tone, folding her arms on the desk, leaning forward. Jack laughed hard.

'Ha! Call them, They don't care,' he smirked. I bowed my head. _Don't do this to yourself Jack_! I thought to myself.

'Jack, you've got to stop this! You're in here every other day for one thing or another. You've been suspended, isolated, the next step would be expulsion, Jack, I'm sorry,' sighed Miss Banks.

'No, Miss, you can't expel him!' I said, desperately. The two of them looked at me surprised at my sudden outburst, 'I'll take the blame, whatever, just don't expel him!'

'Gwen, it's fine, you don't need to do that, ok?' said Jack.

'No, it's not ok! I'm not going to let you get expelled for doing something completely stupid!' I retorted, turning back to look at Miss Banks. She raised her eyebrows, 'You would be willing to take all punishment, and responsibility for Jacks actions? I know he's your best friend, Gwen, but-'

'I'm sure, miss,' I said, sighing. Miss Banks nodded, taking out of her desk drawer a slip of paper, jotting down notes, and handing one to me, and one to Jack.

'I accept, so the both of you will be in detention until you fix all the exam art pieces and sculptures, and restore the art room exactly as it was, do you understand?' we nodded, and Miss Banks turned to face Jack, 'you're lucky, you know, Jack?'

Jack nodded, bowing his head. We were dismissed as the bell rang for the end of the day. I left without a word to Jack, and he followed.

'Gwen, wait, slow down!' he hurried up beside me. I didn't look at him., 'Gwen, you didn't have to do that, you know?'

'I know I didn't, Jack, I just don't want to see you getting expelled then sent off somewhere else! Somewhere worse than this place, where they'd eat you alive, getting you into worse things then a few idiotic pranks in school! I mean what's next Jack? What else do I have to get involved in to get your sorry ass out of more and more trouble, until I have to come down to the station to bail you out for what? I don't want the next time I see you be on a wanted poster! Don't do that to yourself, Napier, and don't do that to me!' with that I turned and walked quickly to my little, old red mini in the school car park (parking lot-still not used to American terms!)I got in, revved the engine until it slowly roared to life. I drove away, leaving Jack staring after me.

* * *

Later that Night

'Bruce, for the last time, I am not talking to her for you!'I said, exasperated.

'Gwen, I don't know what to say! Can't you do it for me?' he pleaded. I took my eyes from my book (Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets-re-reading for the eightieth time bit obsessed with Harry Potter!) and looked at Bruce, sat beside me.

'You and Rachel have been best friends for years, for longer than I've been here, and I can promise you right here, right now, that it'll mean much more to her if you tell her, and not me! Just man up!' I said, turning back to my book.

'But Gwen, I don't know what I would say!' I sighed, closing Harry Potter, and turned to face him.

'Right, you like her don't you?' he nodded, 'and you want to tell her?' he nodded again, 'then all you need to do is ask her out! If she says yes, then great! If she says no, then your still friends! Like my dad always said, man up!' he smiled a little and nodded. He knew it was the anniversary of my parents death, and he knew exactly how I felt.

'You OK?' he asked.

I smiled and nodded, 'Yeah, yeah I'm fine, thanks Bruce. You?' he smiled and nodded too. he leaned forward and hugged me tightly. I hugged back. He was the only one I could really relate to when it came to my parents. The only one who knew exactly how I felt, and I was so glad I had him. At that point, there was tapping on the window. We let go, and I turned to see Jack at the window, a scarf pulled tightly around his face, up to his eyes. The harsh wind and rain blew his wet hair around his face. I went to the window, opened it, and pulled him in.

'Ever heard of a front door, Napier?' I asked sarcastically, folding my arms as he scrambled to his feet. I huffed, annoyed, until I noticed his scarf, dripping deep red blood.

'Jack...' I said, carefully taking the end of the scarf, gently peeling it from his face, and, to my utter horror and disgust, found Jack's face carved into what must have been someones sick idea of a grin. From the corners of his mouth were two huge slashes, so he was literally grinning from ear to ear.

'Oh my God, Jack! Bruce get Alfred,' I ordered Bruce. when he didn't move, 'Bruce, Alfred! NOW!' I shouted. Bruce ran from the room, and distantly, I heard his yelling Alfred's name. I helped Jack to the couch, laying him down, and trying to stem the slow gushing of blood with the sleeve of my jumper. He was so pale. How much blood had he lost?

I gently moved his dripping hair from his face and eyes, as the door behind me opened again to show Bruce with Alfred.

'Miss Gwen, we need to get him to a hospital,' said Alfred. Jack shook his head, vigorously.

'Jack, you need professional help,' I said, making Jack shake his head again. I understood. I whispered, so only he could hear me, 'Was it your dad?' slowly, he nodded his head. I hated that man.

'Right, Alfred do you have any first aid stuff, with stitches and all that?' I asked, not leaving Jack's side. Bruce still stood by the door, keeping his distance. Jack and Bruce had never gotten along. after a moment or two, Alfred returned with the stuff we needed. He began to set to work, fixing Jack's face, before Jack pulled away. he shook his head, and pointed shakily at me. I looked at Jack, understanding.

'Alfred, I'll do it. I know how,' I said softly. Jack, shakily sat up, as Alfred handed me the things, and I began to clean the blood from his face, and sterilize the wound. It didn't take too long, until I needed the stitches. Alfred stood by, watching and guiding me how to do it. I had taken first aid courses when I got the internship at GCPD, and my mum used to teach me things like that when I lived in England. When she was alive.

'Right, this will hurt a bit, OK?' I warned Jack, as I started to stitch up the wounds. After a while, It was done, and Jack looked himself again, just...happier. (Insensitive, I know, but he used to joke about it too! Mind, anyone else who did got Jack to answer to!) I wiped off the bits of dried blood around the corners of his 'smile' and leaned back.

Alfred nodded to me, saying, 'Good job, Gwen, This is not your first time, I imagine?' I nodded a little, as Alfred cleared up the first aid stuff, and took it away. I looked to Bruce, who was still standing by the door, 'could you give us a minute?' he nodded, and followed Alfred.  
'You OK?' I asked Jack, softly.  
He nodded, saying, groggy, 'Thanks, Brit.  
'So, you can talk OK now?'  
'Yeah, it hurts a bit, but not much,' he said, slowly. He stood up, and made his way towards the huge mirror over the fireplace. He started fiddling with stitches in the corner of the left side of his 'smile'  
'Stop picking! It'll never heal if you pick!'  
He sent me a mock salute and said, sarcastically, 'Yes, ma'am!' I smiled.  
'What happened, Jack? What did he do to you?'  
'He was drunk. Crazier than usual. Ma, she got a knife to defend herself. He didn't like that. So he took a knife to her, laughing as he did it. He spotted me, then said, '_Why So Serious' . _He comes at me with the knife, '_Why So_ Serious?' puts the blade in my mouth, 'Lets put a smile on that face'. I tried to fight him off, but...'  
'Why So serious,' I finished, 'Why didn't you go to the police?' I asked.  
'Ha! You know I don't trust cops!' he laughed cruelly. I folded my arms.  
'I'm a cop...sort of!'  
'Yeah, but you're not a real cop! And anyway, you're the only one I trust. Which is why I came to you not a hospital, and why I wanted you to stitch me up, not the old geezer!'  
'The old _geezer_ has a name, and you can trust him,' a pause, 'And I'm glad you trust me. You know you can trust me!'  
'Obviously, _Brit_, or I wouldn't be here, would I?'  
'So, what'cha gonna do, mate?' I asked. He shrugged.  
'Not going back there! Gonna find my own place, finally!' he said.  
'You gotta find a job first! What you gonna do till you get enough money?' I asked. Again, he shrugged. I thought a moment.  
'You could stay here! I'm sure it's not a bother! You know just till you get sorted,' I wondered. he looked at me as if I were mad, then he considered it, and grinned, but wincing, stopped.  
'You mean me, live here?' he asked.  
'Just till you find a place! Not forever, I know you'd hate that!'  
'Yeah! You know little Brucey hates my guts, right Brit? But if it would annoy him...Alright then, not for long though!' I smiled. completely by surprise, he hugged me tightly. I hugged him back, smiling.  
'Thanks, Brit!' he breathed in my ear.  
It was at that point I felt something odd. Something completely new and crazy, that I didn't quite know what it was, and I wasn't sure I liked it.


	3. Falling Harder

_**10 Years Later.**_

I'd been sitting in a fancy Café in the heart of Gotham city, with Bruce Wayne, my cousin and closest friend, when I received an urgent call out from Jim Gordon.

'We have a situation. Armed robbery at the Mob Bank. £68 million gone. Get down here as soon as possible,' I heard Gordon say as I answered the call.

'Right, I'm on my way,' I concluded, beginning to rise from the table.

'Wayne, it's him again.'

'You've got to be kidding. I'm coming.' With that I hung up.

'What is it? Asked Bruce setting down his coffee.

'I think we need Batman for this,' I said, smiling anxiously.

'Him again?' I nodded as Bruce rose and took his coat from the back of the chair.

'I can't do this, Bruce! I can't work on this case. I feel I'm betraying him,' I said, feeling guilt.

'He made his choices. You couldn't have done anything about it. You tried. You tried, and he threw it back in your face. You couldn't do anything to prevent it,' Bruce said in a quiet voice. I nodded as I pulled away from him.

'Thanks, Bruce. I'll see you in a bit, Batman!' I whispered the last word, so that no eavesdroppers got lucky. I left the café and headed towards my little, old run-down, red mini, parked along the side road. I had to tug at the door to get it open – rust investigation. I heard the low hum of the engine going, and head to the bank. It took no more than five minutes to get there. Before leaving the car, I got out from the glove box my father's old revolver, and pocketed it in my black leather jacket.

I flashed my police badge, which gained me swift entry past the burley guards, either side of the bank entrance. I followed the directions of a fellow officer to meet Gordon in the safe – standing in front of a mans body, wearing a clown mask. I knew I would find out eventually who it was, and I needed to get used to this kind of thing.

'Ah, Wayne. There you are, was just about to call.'

'Sorry, Lieutenant. What's the Chiz?' I asked, tying my tatty brown hair in a long plait down my back, leaving the annoying side fringe in my face.

He laughed a little, 'Chiz? I'll never understand you British!'

'Madness of a Northerner!' I smirked back at him.

Gordon turned to face the door to the safe, seeing it filled by Bruce – sorry, Batman. I stuck my tongue out behind Gordon's back at my little cousin, the masked vigilante! I could see the corners of his mouth twitch slightly as though daring himself to laugh.

'Wondered when you would appear!' said Gordon, facing Batman, hands in his jacket pockets.

I looked at Gordon, a little awkwardly, muttering, 'do you want me to go?'

'Of course not, you're not leaving my side on this case! Batman, this is Officer Gwenivere Wayne, and Gwen – well, you know who this is,' introduced Gordon, 'Officer Wayne has only been on the force for barely a month, and already she has proven to be one of the best!' he praised.. I felt my cheeks going red, and was seriously dreading meeting Bruce's eyes.

'I can imagine. What's the situation?' Bruce's voice was deep and husky. It was well disguised – even I wouldn't be able to recognise my dear little cousin, if I wasn't already 'in the know'.

Gordon held out a picture of the Joker smiling eerily at the security camera.

'Him again? Who are the others?' asked Batman.

'A bunch of small timers,' replied Gordon.

At this point, Batman pulled an odd device from his belt and moved to a few remaining bundles of cash near the clown and started to scan them. The device pinged, and Batman said, 'Some of the marked bills I gave you.'

'Yeah, my detectives have been making drug buys with them for weeks. This bank was another drop for the mob. That makes five banks- we've found the bulk of their dirty cash,' replied Gordon, taking the bills from Batman.

'Time to move in,' concluded Batman.

Gordon waved around the photo of the Joker, saying, 'What about this guy? The Joker?'

Batman looked at me, and I could almost hear what he was thinking, and I shared his thoughts exactly.

'One guy or the entire mob? He can wait,' growled Batman.

'Well, you concentrate on the Mobs, and Officer Wayne and I will discuss the Joker case more,' suggested Gordon.

'No bother, sir, I confirmed.

'Excellent, well when Dent hears about all this, he'll want in,' sighed Gordon.

'Do you trust him? Asked Batman. Seemed an odd question to say the least. Gordon turned to see the dead clown.

'Be hard to keep him out. I hear he's as stubborn as you!' joked Gordon, turning back to face Batman- only to see that he'd gone.

'Hmm, there you go. He does that,' he smirked at me.

'Believe me sir, I know people like that.'

We left the safe. While walking, Gordon asked, 'so, I know you have a history with the Joker, but you never really explained.'

I took a deep breath, 'Long story. I'm going to the station now, I've got some work to do, and I could give you a lift?'

'That would be helpful, Thanks Wayne.'

'No Bother, mate.'

I heard him laugh slightly, again, and mutter under his breath, 'British…'

We reached my car and after attempts of starting the engine, the old girl stuttered to life. I started to explain to Gordon about the first few years of knowing J and how he was a good person.

'A year after his dad carved his face; he got in with the wrong crowds. He would call me from the station asking to come and pick him up, once, twice, and sometimes three times a week. It would be small things, like shop lifting and stuff, but one time he got done for a mugging. After that it just got worse. He got in with people like Maroni's lot. He would come home in late every night, sometimes covered in blood. He would come to me to stitch him up. Cos, I stitched him up first time round, when his dad carved him like a turkey. My mum used to teach me how to patch people up. Cos I always used to climb trees and stuff when I was a kid so I got cuts and bruises all the time. She would show me how to fix myself up and then say, _'just in case I can't pick you up, when you fall harder…_' I stopped, realising I had gone way off subject. Gordon knew about my family. He was one of the people I could trust.

'Sorry, erm. Yeah. One night he comes home worse than usual. Cuts and bruises all over his body and a bloody nose. I told him, 'I don't know what you're doing, but it's not good.' He just ignored me. Then I said, 'I worry about you, mate! I've known you for ages, and I hate seeing you like this.' Again he would just ignore me. Then I told him that if he came back like this again, I wouldn't patch him up. I told him what Mum told me all those years ago. He then said, 'I _don't_ need _you_ to pick me up, Wayne. I don't need some pushy Brit to help me. Do us all a favour, Wayne, and go back to your own country'.

'I just kid of lost it a bit. I said, 'I don't know where the Hell you think you get the right to treat me like crap, when all I've done is help you and be nice. You know, I should have just left you to squander in self pity the day we met! You're not the only one with a messed up life you know! When are you gonna Grow Up?' That's when he sprouted a knife from his sleeve and held it to my throat.'

I took a breather from my story, while Gordon, watched me with a strange expression. Was it pity?

I carried on, 'Bruce had walked in at this point, and stopped him from cutting me into little pieces.'

'How?' asked Gordon.

'Just shouted a bit. If he hadn't come in at that point, though, I'd probably be mince meat. But at that point I didn't believe he'd do it. So I didn't give him the satisfaction of fear. Cos that's where he gets the thrill. Watching people cower before him, while he drained every last ounce of life from you.'

'I'm not surprised he ended up in Arkham. So did you kick him out after that?' asked Gordon. I was pleased to see he was paying attention.

'No. He stormed out, and I never saw him again. Until one night, when I was walking back to my car, he jumped out on me. This was after he broke out Arkham. My Jack was dead and buried under the makeup. I don't think he recognised me, cos it was so dark until I said his name.'

'Tell me more about that,' pressed Gordon. I took another deep breath and began another rant.

'Well, it was a deserted street and there weren't many lights so you could tell it was headed for some sort of bother. He jumped out the shadows, pulled the same knife he had threatened me with over ten years before, and held it to my throat. I knew it was him. I wasn't afraid, cos I had my revolver at hand- just for self defence cos it would be stupid to wander round Gotham late at night on your own without backup. He said, 'why_ helllooo_ beautiful! What's a pretty face like you wandering round my neck o' the woods?' I said nothing. He carried on, 'You seem nervous. Are you nervous? Is it the scars? Wanna know how I got em?'

'Oh, I know exactly how you got them. I stitched them up for you,' I said. He pushed me under the street light to see my face. I just said, 'Hello Jack.'

'He said, 'Well, isn't this a surprise?! My dear Gwenny! You look great! And how do I look?' I said back, 'terrible, _mate_.' He didn't like that. 'Oh, my dear you don't mean that? Do you, _Beautiful_? Cos you made me like this! Didn't'cha?'

'I told him, 'you can't blame me for anything, I tried to help you. You did that to yourself. Jack, he's just somebody that I used to know. The Jack I was best friends with for all that time, he's dead and buried. You buried him under that cheap makeup and fancy dress.' I told him he could kill me, torture me, leave me for dead for all I cared, but that he would get nothing out of it, because I didn't fear him. With that, he said he'd be seeing me again sometime, and that I should call him. He even gave me a Joker card. As if he'd marked me. Then he just disappeared into the shadows. Nothing since then.'

At that point, we pulled up into the station. Gordon and I walked in together. We parted ways when I turned to find some files on Jack Napier and the Joker. Gordon thanked me for the ride and said my information was not wasted. I turned to leave before he called after me, 'What did you do with the Joker card?'

I turned back to face him, replying, 'It's at home-' before adding, a little embarrassed, 'in my sock draw!' Gordon laughed at me again before turning and walking away. I slumped in a chair by the cabinets of people's files and personal record, before opening my bag to find my phone. Instead, I found a worn, Joker playing card, the corner splashed with blood, and a note on the front, _'I'm a man of my word_!'


	4. Man of my Word

'Come on, Gwen, everyone's arriving!' called Bruce from the hall. I looked at myself in the mirror. I wore a knee length, scarlet dress, with black Doc Martens on top of black tights, while my hair was left loosely hanging down my back. I wasn't one for elegance, but I had to make my effort. I stepped out of my room, to see Bruce waiting, looking out the window. When he heard the door shut, he turned to look at me. He, as usual was in a fancy black suit that made him look like one of the men in black.

'You look great, Gwen,' he said holding out his arm, for me to take it, adding, 'Love the shoes!'

I smirked as we walked out into the main hall in the penthouse there were a few guests dotted around the tables, drinking and talking. Bruce pulled me to the side, saying, 'I'll be arriving by helicopter later on, ok, just play along. I'll see you soon. When Harvey gets here, make nice,' he urged. He knew I wasn't a particularly social person.

'Don't worry, dear Brucey, I'll not make a fool of my self,' I joked. He patted my on the head and left. I noticed Alfred handing out drinks to a couple over by the balcony. He was the only face I recognised, so I quickly made a B line to meet him.

'Hey. Who are these people? I don't recognise any,' I asked Alfred when he had left the couple with glasses of champagne.

'Well, they're all upper class folks. Work mates and people Harvey Dent is familiar to,' replied Alfred.

'Is Lieutenant Gordon coming?' I asked, hoping to see him. It had been a while ago since the appearance of the Joker card, however, I had only confided in Bruce about it. She hoped to talk about the Joker more with Gordon today. So far, the Joker had not met his promise- yet.

'No, Miss Gwen, I'm afraid not. Master Wayne said that he was working, and could not attend,' said Alfred, not before noticing the appearance of more guests by the door- including Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes.

He left to greet them, and I followed far behind, hoping to speak to Rachel and Harvey without gaping guests, judging my attire as loud as possible- which they didn't fail to do.

'Gwen! Hi, how are you, it feels like ages since I saw you last! Harvey, this is my old friend, and Bruce's cousin, Gwen. Gwen, this is Harvey Dent,' Rachel introduced.

'Gwen! Rachel talks about you a lot. You've been friends for a few years now?' asked Harvey, shaking my hand. Rachel was one lucky girl. Harvey was as handsome as she had told her.

'Yeah, I came to Gotham when I was fourteen and we've been mates since,' I replied, smiling.

'Oh, yes you're from England originally, right? Where about in England?' Harvey asked. He seemed genuinely interested.

'The North East. Durham, to be more precise. I grew up there but moved to Scotland when I was ten. After my parents died in a car accident, I came to live with Alfred and Bruce.' I said. I know that the car crash story is the oldest in the book, but it's believable enough. Rachel didn't even know the truth.

'Oh, I'm sorry,' said Harvey, sadly.

'Yeah, it's a long time ago now.'

Harvey was a canny bloke. Sorry, I apologise again for my mad terms. Can't help it. Habit now. Rachel led Harvey to a group of people at the far end of the room, and I was left on my own. I didn't mind. I watched as more and more people filed into the room. After about twenty minutes, Bruce arrived in his Helicopter, almost right on cue. He emerged, with three girls in bright dresses in his arms. Typical Bruce…

'Sorry I'm late- Glad you started without me. Now where's Harvey?' spotting Harvey, he walks over to speak directly to him, even though everyone was watching, listening intently to his little speech.

'And where's Rachel Dawes? Rachel is one of my oldest friends. When she told me she was dating Harvey Dent, I had one thing to say, '_the guy from the God awful campaign commercials? I believe in Harvey Dent?' _

A slight laugh emitted from everyone in the room, but Dent and Rachel. Rachel looked annoyed, while poor Harvey seemed slightly embarrassed.

Bruce continued, 'I started paying attention to Harvey, and all the things he's done as our new DA, and you know what? I believe in Harvey Dent. On his watch, Gotham can feel a little safer. A little more optimistic. So get out your check books and let's make sure he stays where Gotham wants him…' He raised his glass, 'all except Gotham's criminals, of course. To the face of Gotham's bright future- Harvey Dent!'

Bruce finished his little speech as everyone raised their glasses to Harvey. The slow murmur of talk began to rise amongst the crowd once more and Bruce left to the Balcony. I left to meet him, but not before Rachel beat me too it. I needed to speak to Bruce alone. So I just wandered through the crowds to the food table, and began to snack. I stood, after about ten minutes, munching on an apple, when gunshots where heard by the lift, and the crowd parted to reveal at the door, the one person I dreaded to meet again. Rachel and Harvey were no where to be seen, and neither was Bruce. I prayed he was gearing up to save us all right now.

'Good evening ladies and gentlemen! We are tonight's entertainment. I only have one question. Where is Harvey Dent?' rang the Joker's voice through the crowd. He started to wander through the crowds, asking people if they knew where or even who Harvey is. His goons were standing guard at the doors. I started to bend down, to get my gun from my shoe (I know, great place to put it- advantage of wearing boots). I had it in my grasp, and held it behind my back, ready to fire.

'You know, I'd settle for his loved ones!' stated the Joker to and elderly looking may, with a bald patch on the back of his head.

'We're not intimidated by you thugs!' he said, bravely. The Joker smirked.

'You know, you remind me of my father. I hated my father!' the Joker growled as he held his blade to the mans face.

'Ok stop!'

No Rachel, don't get yourself involved! I thought to myself. I emerged around the crowd, getting a good view of the Joker, and a good shot, so I could shoot when necessary.

'Why_ helllooo_, beautiful!' he said the same to Rachel as he did me, the last night I saw him.

'You must be Harvey's squeeze! And you are beautiful.' He came closer to her, switchblade still out, 'You look nervous? Is it the scars? D'ya wanna know how I got em?'

He grabbed her face and pulled it towards his, holding the blade to her. My grip on the gun tightened.

'Well, I had a wife, beautiful, like you, who says I worry too much. Who says, I need to smile more. Who gets in deep with the sharks. One day they carve her face. Now we have no money for surgery. I just wanna see her smile again. I just want her to know I don't care abut the scars. So I stick a razor in my mouth and do this to myself. And D'ya knows what? She can't stand the sight of me. She leaves. Now I see the funny side. Now I'm always smiling!' he laughed.

'Liar!'

Everyone turned to me, the source of the sudden outburst. The Joker leaves go of Rachel and looks me straight in the eye, and for a second I thought I saw Jack again, before an evil smile came across his clown face. Rachel took this opportunity to knee him where it hurts. He left my gaze, backing away from Rachel in pain, saying, 'a little fight in you! I like that!'

'Then you're gonna love me!'

Batman's growl came as a relief. I hurried over to Rachel as a fight broke out between Batman and the Joker with his goons.

'You ok?' I asked, quickly.

'Yeah I'm fine. What do you mean liar?'

I paused. Rachel knew I had known the Joker in childhood, but she never knew how he got the scars. That remained a thing between Jack, Alfred, Bruce and I. After he got the scars, he never really saw Rachel when she came. He was always out doing…whatever it was he did.

'It doesn't matter. Bruce needs a hand.'

I stood up again, and turned to face the fight- only to come face to face with a goon, who had no gun, but a fist rose to hit me. Now going through police training, and growing up with Batman, you learnt a few vital things. I was too quick for him. I blocked his fist and took the side of his face with my own. He backed away, before coming back. Didn't he get the hint? I occupied him for a minute- one less for Bruce to fend off, before I heard Rachel squeal behind me. I turned to see her being dragged to the window by the Joker. He looked at me and winked. I hit the goon one last time, before he fell to the floor, unconscious. I shouted, 'Rachel!'

Batman turned too, to see the Joker holding a gun to Rachel's head.

'Drop the gun,' growled Batman.

'Oh sure, you just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are!' laughed the Joker, as he shot the glass behind him, holding Rachel by the arm out the window.

'Let her go!' warned Batman.

The Joker looked malicious, 'Very poor choice of words!' as he let go of Rachel, letting her fall. Batman almost flew after her. I ran to the window to see where they were- only to get the Joker's blade to my throat from behind. He took my gun and threw it to the side, holding my arm behind my back so I couldn't move. He smelt strongly of Gasoline, as he breathed into my ear, 'I'm a man of my word!'

He led me out, the way they had come in. I struggled to break free, but to no avail. The goons had regained consciousness and followed swiftly pointing guns to the crowds as we left. We came out the building, to a white van. The Joker turned me to face him, knife still poised.

'What do you expect of me, Jack?' I asked, feeling brave. The cool blade met my cheek. He took a cloth from his coat pocket and held it over my nose and mouth. I couldn't breath, I struggled, but he still had me in that death grip. My vision blurred as I heard my name being called from a distance, and everything was black.

_**Thanks for reading this guys, I hope you're enjoying it; I'll try and get chapter six up soon. Thanks to the awesome followers of the story! StormieSkies, bornfanfiction4life and ninja enchantress! Remember to review what you think! Or just review something in general… even just a passing comment! It'd make my day 3 thanks again guys :P Holls x**_


	5. The Monsters Inside

_**Hiya dudes, writing this chapter in the third person. Just letting you know, so there's no confusion. Read on, my dears! Thanks! Enjoy...:P Holls x**_

First thing Gwen felt was a banging in her head, as though Rodger Taylor was playing in concert. Gwen eyes closed still, and she made no sign of movement. She sensed she was not alone. Someone was watching her. She knew instantly who that someone would be, though she made no attempt to give the Joker the satisfaction. She wasn't afraid. She was never afraid of him. She was afraid of what she'd find. Where was she? How long had she been here? What had he done to her?

She heard movement somewhere in the room. 'Well, I'd have to wake up sometime...' she thought. Gwen opened her eyes, rubbing them as she sat up gingerly.

'Ahh, she lives, thought I'd killed'ya, _beautiful_!' came his malicious voice from the corner of the tiny room.

'Just saves you a job for later,' Gwen replied, looking around the room. It seemed like a tiny apartment. The walls and floor was wood and there was a single window. There was a fridge with a sink, and a door which Gwen assumed lead into a bathroom. She swung her legs round off the bed, and sat for a second. The Joker looked at her, his eyes puzzled. His purple overcoat was hanging on the bathroom door. The sleeves on his hexagon patterned shirt were rolled up and the top button and tie were undone. He looked tired.

'I have questions.'

'And what would they be,_ beautiful_?' he asked, remaining where he stood.

Gwen took a deep breath and looked at her old friend. 'Well, where am I?'

'My place, _Brit_.' he put emphasis on the word Brit.

'How long have I been out?'

'Not long. Only about two hours.'

'And, why am I here?'

He smirked, 'all in good time, _beautiful_!'

Gwen stood up, and walked over to the Joker. He didn't move. She stood before him. Gently, she ran her finger over the scar on his right cheek, feeling the stitches still in them. They were new ones, and were messily done.

'What happened to you, Jack?' Gwen whispered. He grabbed her raised wrist, violently, saying, 'I don't go by that name anymore, _Wayne_! Call me that again, and I might just have to make sure you _can't_.'

Gwen pulled her wrist from his grasp, and, feeling the anger boiling up inside her, spat at his feet. The movement was swift, and painful. The Joker slapped Gwen, making her fall to the floor. He pinned her wrists beside her head and he sat on her legs, leaning down, so that his face was so close to hers, she could hear his brain pounding in anger.

'If you disrespect me like that again, I'll skin ya alive with my bear hands! Got that, _Brit?_' hegrowled.

'I'll respect you, when you earn it!' Gwen spat, breathing heavily. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he had successfully terrified her half to death. Because he hadn't. She just felt anger.

'Why aren't ya scared? I could kill ya anytime I want! Why aren't you scared? He almost shouted.

'I don't fear death! I stopped fearing the monsters around me when I realised they're inside of us years ago!' I hissed. This pushed him over the edge. He didn't kill her. He grabbed her right arm, rolled up the sleeve of her red dress and took out his knife.

'You'll be begging for death once I'm finished with ya, _beautiful_!' and with that, he dug the knife deep into Gwen's forearm, and carve the letter J. The knife went so deep into her arm, the pain agonizing, as he took his time, marking her as his own. Gwen's screams echoed through the whole building. Once the Joker had finished, his hands drenched in Gwenevire's blood, he stood and turned to leave the room. Gwen, breathing heavily, stuttered, 'I-is that all y-you got?'

At the door, he spun on one foot to face Gwen. An eerie grin materialised on his face as he said, 'Oh, don't worry, I haven't even begun…_beautiful_!'


	6. Dangerous Games

_**Thank you for reading this so far! I'm so chuffed! Thanks for the awesome reviews...especially the one about the sock draw and apples that made me smile! Thank you FoxGoddess2416!! This one's for you, my dear! **_

_**Just listening to Kate Winslet, 'What If' and the song fits the story...how can I fit it in...I wonder...**_

_**Keep the Chiz and Read on my lovelies! Holls :P x**_

Gwen remained under the watchful eye of her captor. He wasn't particularly good at keeping an eye on his hostage, as he wasn't around much. He would slump in every so often, with freshly cut wounds, which Gwen was made to fix. She had fixed her own beautiful addition to her skin with what she had- toilet paper and tape … great results._ He_ would bring her the stitches to fix _him_ up, but left none for her. She refused to speak to him, unless spoken to, and even then it would be one word answers, earning her a slap every now and again. He would sometimes sit and just watch her as she played with her hair, or lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She would often sit humming to herself, or even singing under her breath, as if she were the only one there. This fascinated the Joker, as he had known no one to treat him as such. They would be too scared to do anything that would annoy him, for the fear of… well him! His old friend was playing with him. Playing a dangerous game…and he couldn't stand losing.

One night, a few days after her arrival, Gwen was lying on her back, one leg crossed over the other, watching the spider on the ceiling. She turned to look at the joker in the corner of the room. She smiled a little, when she saw him picking at the stitches in his cheeks, just like ten years before. She saw Jack, not the Joker, her Jack. He caught her gaze, and her smirk.

'What?' he said annoyed. She shook her head, still smirking, and resumed her gaze on the spider. 'What's funny, _Brit?_'

'Nothing,' she replied, shrugging, eyes still fixed on the spider.

'You're no fun…' he muttered. Still refusing to look at him, she simply scoffed.

'Ok, what's you're problem?' he asked.

'Nothing,' she said again, in a cocky voice, which annoyed the Joker even more. He huffed, and turned away from her, checking his watch. He still had ages to go before he needed to leave. Ages to have a bit of fun?

He looked round to see her watching him again. She smirked again, turning her head back to the ceiling. '_Time to beat you at your own game, Brit_!' he thought to himself.

He crossed his legs, like she did, and scoffed, in his best attempt to imitate her. She did not look round, but he could tell she was frowning. She huffed. As did he. She looked out of the corner of her eye, imagining her fingers around his stinking neck. She uncrossed her legs, as did he. Huffing again, came from the both of them.

'Ok, how old _are_ you?!' she said, in a voice full of annoyance and anger. She had swung her legs round to the floor, and she was now looking the Joker in the eye. One- nil to the Joker. Ha!

'Oh, it _does_ speak!' he said sarcastically.

'You do realise how bloody annoying you are, right? Or is it this vibe you accidentally give off?' asked Gwen, as she stood, walking over to the fridge, getting out a bottle of water. She looked at the almost bare shelves, realising she had only eaten half an apple in the past few days. The other half was unfinished, as _someone_ had rudely interrupted. She frowned.

'No, it's a gift! Chuck me a bottle,_ Brit_,' he ordered. She raised an eyebrow, watching him.

'Please?' he added, in a bored voice. When she did nothing, he went on, in a loud, annoying voice, 'you know what! I ask for one simple thing! One tiny thing that would not hurt you to do-'he was cut off by the bottle of water smashing into his shoulder.

'Whoops... terrible aim…' she said, sickly sweet.

'You're telling me!' moaned the Joker as he gingerly rubbed his sore shoulder.

'I was so close as well! How hard is it to hit your head! It's that big, you can't miss it!' she said casually as she took the cap of the bottle and began to drink. For a moment, the Joker felt the urge to drown her, but it passed after a second. His fists unclenched, and he rose from his seat. Gwen closed the fridge door, and casually slumped back on the bed resuming her stare at the ceiling. Back to the awkwardness… great!

Gwen's defiance still baffled the Joker. His was a name everyone knew, his face on the news, rewards for his capture everywhere! Every citizen feared his name, but the one person he wanted to fear him the most, was the one person he couldn't sway.

'Hasn't anyone told you it's rude to stare?'

He voice snapped him back to reality.

'Hasn't anyone told you it's rude to ignore people?'

'Fair enough.'

'What will it take to get you to speak, _Brit_?' moaned the Joker. After another silent moment, he absentmindedly turned to face the window, picking at the stitches in his face again.

'You still don't listen, do you Jack?' she was sat cross-legged, now, watching him.

'What did I say about that name?' he growled.

'I'm not calling you Joker. It's not your name. It's a silly title we made up as kids. It means nothing,' she retorted, very matter-of-factly. The Joker huffed. He knew she would not call him it no matter how much pain he caused her, so he didn't bother…yet.

'And what do you mean, I still don't listen.' He wondered.

'Stop picking at the stitches! They'll come out; it'll hurt and I'll have to sort it out. Then we'll both be in deep Chiz!' she stated casually.

'Yes, ma'am!' he said in that same sarcastic tone he had given Gwen ten years ago. She let out an amused sigh.

'What now!'

'This act! This stupid act you put on, trying to hide the fact that you're just like you were ten years ago!' Gwen cried, feeling a sense of loss.

He didn't care that she would not back down or cry or call him Joker or whatever, he just needed to hit something. In this case, Gwenevire's face. The attack took Gwen by surprise. Knocked back, she felt a new bruise surfacing. The Joker's face wore an evil look.

Gwen, breathing heavily, looked him straight in the eye. 'How did that feel, Jack?' she asked, in a shaky voice.

He hated to admit it, but he felt no better. He got now joy out of causing his old friend pain. She was annoying, defiant, and rude…but he liked that. Shaking himself of the thought, he hit her again, this time, on the opposite side of her face.

'We didn't want you to mismatched, now did we, Brit?' he asked in an eerie voice. She looked up, with hate in her eyes, but she just smirked at him, looking very satisfied. This toppled him over the edge. Anger took over. His knife poised, he brought it to her cheek, holding the other side of her face steady, and she was in the same old death grip. The knife dug into her skin, and she felt a warm trickle of blood running down her face. She winced slightly from the pain, and the Joker smiled. However not for long. Her wince soon turned to a small laugh that grew into a near hysterical laughing fit. This was new. No one had laughed in the Joker's face before, as he threatened their life. He growled. 'What's the matter with you!' he yelled.

She just kept laughing. He dug the knife into her flesh harder, making her laugh harder, trying to hide her pain.

'What will it take for you to feel fear?!' he spat in her face. She tried to calm her hysterical laughs, saying, 'I do fear, mate, just not you!'

The Joker growled again, pushing her away from him. He checked his watch, and said, 'unfortunately, Brit, I have to leave you now, but I will be back soon! Try not to miss me too much,' he said in a cruelly kind voice. He left Gwen, who was still laughing, slamming the door behind him. Gwen's laughs turned slowly into silent tears. She moved into the bathroom, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She had bags under her eyes, and two fresh bruises slowly appearing. The blood from her new gash across her cheek stained her pale skin. Her hair looked stringy and had lost its usual bounce and her eyes had lost their usual flare. As Gwen looked at the stranger, she said to herself, 'What've you done?'


	7. A Freak Like Me

_**Rawwwrrrr! Haha scared you didn't I!...sorry gone a bit hyper off Wagon Wheels... anyway Hello again! If you're reading this then Thanks a lot! For coming this far! Feeling sentimental...how sweet!**_

_**:P remember to review and let me know any suggestions, faults or anything at all! Even if it's just a general chat! Fancy a chat actually... This is a bit of a pointless chapter to fill in the spaces, purely because it shows that Bruce and Gordon still are thinking of Gwen… **_

_**Keep the Chiz going guys, and Read on my lovelies Holls :P x**_

The Joker's face shone out in the darkness of the room. There was barely enough light to see anything, but his white face stood out, eerily. Newly appointed commissioner Gordon sat opposite him.

'Harvey Dent never made it home. Officer Wayne is still missing, and that's just the beginning. Everything seems to be pointing right at you. Care to explain?' asked Gordon, coolly watching the Joker's every move. The Joker watched Gordon.

'Where's Dent?' Gordon continued.

'What's the time?'

'Does that matter?' asked Gordon, confused.

'Well, depending on the time, he may be at one spot, or several,' said the Joker, motioning with his cuffed hands.

'And Officer Wayne, where is she?' continued Gordon again, never taking his eyes of the Joker. The Joker smirked.

'Well, if I told you, that would defeat the object of the game, now wouldn't it, _commissioner_?' replied the Joker, leaning back in his chair.

Gordon uncuffed the Joker's hands, and wrapped them around his own, saying, 'If were going to do this all night, I'm gonna need a coffee.' He stood, and moved to the door, turning as he heard the Joker's voice.

'Ahh, the good cop, bad cop routine?' called the Joker, clicking his tongue.

'Not exactly!' and with that Gordon left the interrogation room. The Joker sat in the dark for another second. All of a sudden, the lights in the room flashed on, and the Joker's head smashed against the cold, metal table before him.

'AArgh…never start with the head, the victim gets all fuzzy, he can't feel the next-' he was cut off by the smashing of a fist against the back of his hand, lying on the table. The Batman sat before the Joker, watching him.

'See?'

'You wanted me, here I am!' growled Batman

'I wanted to see what you'd do…and you didn't disappoint. You let five people die, and then you let Dent take your place. Even to a guy like me that's cold!'

'Where's Dent?'

'These mob fools want you gone so things can go back to the way things were. But I know the truth. There's no going back, you've changed things. Forever,' said the Joker, casually.

'Then why do you want to kill me?' asked Batman, confused.

The Joker let out a laugh. A hysterical, high pitched one, much like his dear little Gwen's had laughed on his last 'visit', 'I don't want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No. No, no no, you complete me!'

'You're garbage who kills for money!' said Batman.

'Don't talk like one of them, you're not! Even if you'd like to be. To them you're just a freak…like me! Dropped at the first sign of trouble. You're only here when they need you to be. But when they don't, they'll cast you out. Like a leper. You see, their morals their code, it's just a bad joke. You see, I'm not a monster, I'm just ahead of the curve!'

With that, Batman grabbed the Joker by his waistcoat and pulled him off the chair, And over the table, growling, 'Where's Wayne?'

'Wayne? Oh you mean my dear little Gwen! I didn't think that you'd care so much about the little Brit!' Batman smashed the Joker up against the tiled walls, causing the Joker to laugh again.

'Where are they?!' Batman yelled!

'You have all these rules, and you think they'll save you!' the Joker said, laughter dying.

'I have one rule!' replied Batman.

'Then that's the rue you'll have to break to know the truth, 'cause the only sensible way to live is without rules, and tonight you'll have to break you're one rule!'

'I'm considering it,' hissed the Bat in the clowns face.

'There's just minutes left, so you'll have to play my little game if you want to save one of them!' smirked the Joker, watching Batman's anger rise. In his head, Bruce played over the Joker's words. Harvey Dent, one of the most important people in Gotham, or Billionaire Bruce Wayne's big cousin, Officer Gwenivere Wayne.

'Why her?' he growled in the Joker's face, anger boiling.

The Joker laughed again, 'Oh not dear little Gwenny! No, I'd miss her too much! Little Brit's not in trouble…yet!'

'Then who?'

'You know, for a minute I really thought you were Dent… but the way you threw yourself after her!' cackled the Joker, as he tried to squeeze out of Batman's death grip on his throat. Batman growled in anger, hurtling the Joker over his shoulder, and landing him on his back, hard on the table. The Joker, clearly in pain, tried to hide it, by laughing, saying, 'Look at you go!'

Batman took the chair, and swept across the room to the door, barring anyone from interrupting him.

'Does Harvey know about you and his little bunny?' crooned the Joker, earning another hit from batman.

'Where are they?!' yelled Batman.

'You have nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!' laughed the Joker. Another hit off Batman, 'Now, you'll have to choose, Gotham's DA, or his blushing bride to be!'

Batman lifted the Joker by his waistcoat, about to attack him again.

'Don't worry, I'm gonna tell you where they are! And that's the point, you'll have to choose. He's at 252 52nd street and she's at Avenue X at Cicero!'

Batman threw him aside, storming from the room, met by Gordon.

'Who you going after?' he asked, hurriedly.

'Rachel!'

With that, Batman swept away, and left the station.

_I know it was a bit pointless, and everyone knows that chapter, but it leads into the next one. Thanks for reading! Holls :P x_


	8. Into the Night

_**Hiya, Chapter nine for you here! Thanks to Alex'EverdeenHungerGamesUFO for the latest review! This one's for you :P We're back to Gwen here! Read On Holls :P x**_

The explosions shook the entire building. They seemed so close. The biggest came first, the one that seemed closest. It barely seemed like second until the next one went off, further away, but all the same...

I'd been doing the same as I had done for the past week, watching the wall. The explosions brought me to my senses. I knew I had to leave: Now. I'd tried the escape route before. The window had no way of opening, and the door was locked whenever _he_ was out. There were a few possible ways of escape. Knocking the door down, or smashing the window. That seemed about it.

Hastily, I moved to the opposite end of the room to the door, taking a deep breath. You see it all the time in movies. I ran to the door, and, with all the strength I could muster, kicked it hard. Its hinges gave way, and it collapsed, leading to a narrow hall. I smiled to myself, thinking about when dear Jack was to come home! Turning to look at my prison one last time, I made my way carefully down the dimly lit hall, avoiding making any noise, should there be any of the Joker's henchmen lurking downstairs.

I was right. A man, who looked younger than me, was sat, watching a small TV in the corner of the room. The room in question seemed like my own, or my old one. Small, though bigger than the one upstairs, wooden floors and floor, and a small window. There was a door leading off into what seemed a kitchen and another to an extra bathroom. I peered round the door to see the man with his back to me in an armchair. I looked around the room to find my father's old gun resting on a small table by the armchair. Great. I silently tiptoed around the door, making no noise, however it didn't seem to matter much, if he hadn't heard the door going upstairs, then there must be something up. And there was. The man wasn't moving, and it seemed, he wasn't breathing. I slowly dared to look around the armchair, to see the man lying with a bullet wound in the centre of his head. Staring, with blank, green eyes, the dead man seemed so innocent, and young. Barely late twenties, it seemed. I grabbed my gun, but turned, when I heard a familiar name mentioned.

'- Rachel Dawes, of GCPD, was killed later today in an explosion. It is known that Miss Dawes had been tied to a chair in a room full of Gasoline drums, set to explode. In the same situation close by, was Gotham's District Attorney, Harvey Dent. It is understood that the Batman had saved Harvey Dent's life, but GCPD failed to get Rachel out in time.'

The words sank in like a knife. Rachel Dawes, an old friend. Dead. I thought of Bruce and Harvey. They had both loved her more than anything. I thought of my cousin, not being able to get to her in time. I turned to the man lying before me again. After a second, I gently closed his eyes, giving him the dignity he probably didn't deserve. I quickly left building, stepping out into the fresh air of the night. It felt great to be out in the open again. Leaving behind my prison, I set to find my way home through the night.


	9. Safe

_**Hi again guys! Thank you to another reviewer! Decepticon-silverstreak, this one for you! Hope you enjoy it! Holls :P x**_

Bruce was sat, watching nothing in particular out the window or the Penthouse. Still in his Batman suit (apart from the helmet and cape) he just sat.

'Master Wayne?' said Alfred from behind. Bruce didn't respond.

'There's someone to see you,' Alfred continued.

''I don't want to see anyone now, Alfred!' moaned Bruce, still not turning his head. He heard Alfred leave.

'I'm sorry, Bruce,' came her voice. A voice he was worried he would never hear again. He almost didn't recognise Gwen when he saw how dishevelled and lost she was. She still wore the things she had for the Fundraiser, however her dress was torn and her tight had holes and ladders. Her hair was dirty and stringy, and her face bore none of its usual warmth. Pale, skinny and worn, the girl before Bruce seemed like a stranger. He stood quickly and hugged her tightly, as if he were never to let her go again. Gwen felt hot tears threatening to emerge as she hugged her little cousin back. Gwen pulled away.

'You ok?' she asked, quietly.

'Never mind me. What the Hell happened with you?' asked Bruce, incredulously.

'Later. It doesn't matter now. Bruce, you need to get some sleep. You're tired. Please. You're not doing any favours for yourself,' said Gwen in that same motherly tone she could have, that always made Bruce feel better. She was right. He shook his head however, sitting back down.

'Bruce, you ok?' Gwen sat opposite Bruce, watching him carefully.

'Rachel's dead. Rachel is dead and it's my fault!'

Gwen shook her head at this, saying, 'No. this wasn't your doing. It was him. It was Jack. He did it. He was the one to blame. You tried. You tried, Bruce, but that's all that you could have done.'

Bruce nodded at this, smiling, 'I thought I'd lost you too. Here you are though. I'm sitting here, wallowing in self pity, and there you are, after everything you've been through, trying to make me feel better.'

Gwen smiled back, weakly, saying, 'strange world.'

Gwen stood and took hold of Bruce's hand saying, 'Go to bed.'

He stood, and hugged Gwen tightly, once more. Her return was one he couldn't have expected. But he was damn glad she did. He left the room, leaving Gwen on her own. She stood for a moment or two before departing to her own room. Once in, she closed the door behind her, and turned on the light. Her room had been left exactly as it had done the night she was taken. There were clothes dumped all over the wooden floor, and different pairs of shoes. It was still dark outside.

Gwen moved into the bathroom where she had a well deserved shower. Brushing her teeth, and having a glass of water, she pulled on some pyjamas, and crawled into her own bed. Hair still wet, she fell asleep almost instantly, feeling, for the first time in a week, safe.

However, miles from where she slept, the Joker's shouts raging through the warehouse, echoed all around. The game was far from over.


	10. Betrayal

_**Hiya guys! Hope your enjoying it Read On my dears Holls :P x**_

'Gwen, Commissioner Gordon's here. He wants to speak to you,' came Bruce's voice from outside my door. Commissioner? I'd woken up early and been dressed since five. I'd eaten for the first time in a week. My newly washed hair tied in a plait, and a clean purple t-shirt with jeans.

'Coming,' I called, and heard Bruce leave. I took a deep breath before leaving the room. By head pounding, I met Gordon in the Kitchen. He turned to see me when I entered, and smiled, 'How are you?' he asked kindly.

'Fine, _Commissioner_! When did that happen? I asked, taking an apple from the bowl on the counter, washing it and taking a bite.

'Long story! What about you? Worried we weren't getting you back anytime soon! It's been dull at the office without you!' he said, smirking.

'I guess you want to hear all about my week then!' I said, taking another bite from the apple.

'Yeah. When you're ready though.'

'I'm ready now! Bruce still needs to hear it too. Might as well tell you both here and now! Saves the trouble for later,' I said, leaning against the wall, facing Gordon, with Bruce in the doorway.

'Ok. Start from the beginning.'

And I did. I told them both of all the events of the week, starting with the fundraiser for Harvey Dent, and how I was taken by the joker. The first night with all the questions. I showed them the J carved into my arm. I hadn't really paid too much attention to it, but seeing it now, I realized it had become infected, and, noticing for the first time, rather painful. I told them of the awkward silences, of my refusal to acknowledge the Joker's existence, and of the childish game he played. The two bruises on my face were blackened, and slightly purple, now, however, I wouldn't try to hide them. I left no detail unheard. I finished with when I escaped, and the man in the chair.

Bruce and the Commissioner watched me a second, before Bruce said, 'so why hadn't you tried to leave before?'

This question confused me. Why hadn't I? I had tried, I guess, but I hadn't really. It never occurred to me to try to escape, until the explosions caught me off guard. I didn't say this, of course, I just said, 'I had tried, plenty of times, I guess that night I just got lucky.' I felt bad lying to Bruce, but if I had told them I hadn't particularly wanted to leave before then, things would get complicated. 'So what happens now?'

Gordon stood up, saying, 'well, first things first, we need to get you to a safe place.'

'I'm safe here,' I said, watching Gordon suspiciously.

'No, Gwen, you're not. He knows where you live, which means there's a possibility he will return for you,' said Gordon, sadly.

'Ok, so where will I go?' I asked, nervously. I saw Bruce shift behind Gordon.

'The only place we can guarantee he can't get you, is, well-' he broke off. Worried I already knew the answer, I pushed, 'Where, Gordon?'

'Arkham.' He said simply.

'What?' I asked, startle. Arkham? Arkham Asylum was the best place for me to go? I started to laugh. It just seemed to mad to be true. It was all a big joke, and it was hilarious!

'You can't be serious!' I laughed. His face was solemn. My laughter died, as I saw Bruce's face wore the same expression, 'Bruce?'

'I'm sorry Gwen,' he said, not daring to look at me. His voice cut me like a knife. Arkham Asylum was the best place for me, was it? They thought, did they, that a mad house full of dangerous criminals was the best place for me?

'No.' I said.

'Gwen, I'm sorry, but it seems that it is the only safe place for you,' said Gordon, imitating Bruce by not looking at me. This angered me. Not so much Gordon, but the fact that my own family agreed with sending me to the Mad House! And that it was safe!

'You have to be mad, to go there. Mad! Am I mad? Am I crazy? Have I lost the plot? Just cos I had a run-in with an old mate, means I'm going to Arkham?!' I asked, incredulously.

'Gwen, it won't be for long, it'll just be until the Joker is behind bars, and we can guarantee your safety,' said Bruce, calmly. He didn't understand.

'He's not gonna go down anytime soon! Don't you get it?' I almost shouted, while they still refused to look at me, 'And you won't even look me in the eye! Do you realise what that is like? Two out of three of the people I trust most in the world, sending me to Arkham Asylum for God knows how long, and you wont even look me at me!'

I felt like a child the way they were treating me. They knew I could take care of myself- the proof was right there, a week with a crazy, murderous clown, and I'm fine!

'Look at Me!' I yelled. Bruce lifted his head and looked me in the eye. I could almost see what he thought. The sad look that I saw staring back at me proved that he thought the same as Gordon. So, he thinks I'm mad, does he? That I'm a silly little girl who can't take care of herself!

'What do you think, Bruce? Next time you see me, it'll be behind a plastic screen over a telephone?' I said, madly, in a voice that was not my own.

'Gwen, calm down,' he said, quietly.

'Calm Down?!' I cried.

'Gwen, we need to go! This is the best for you, you need to recover from the past week,' came Gordon's voice from behind me. I felt his hand on my shoulder, but I spun round, glaring at him.

'I'm sorry Commissioner, but I have no intention of going to Arkham! None what so ever! So you can get that thought right out of your head!' I shouted in his face. This was not like me, but the feeling of betrayal from both Gordon and Bruce, made something in me snap. Maybe I was better off in Arkham! If I was to go there, I wouldn't go down without a fight!

'Gwen, come on, this is for your own good! I'm sorry this is the only way to keep you safe! Bruce and I are only thinking of you here! Please, calm down!' Gordon said, trying to stay calm. I spun round again to face Bruce.

'Gwen, he's right. Please, just go. I don't want to lose you too!' he said, weakly.

I breathed heavily, watching him for a second, until a sharp jab in the back of my neck sent my vision blurry. My knees gave way, and everything went black.


	11. Alone

'I think she's waking up,' came a voice from above me. My eyes fluttered open, showing o blurred faces above. They were both wearing white, and looking at me with caution. I sat up, slowly and looked around, rubbing my banging head. The walls were a dirty shade of white and one wall was a huge sheet of clear glass. A table and a chair sat in one corner with a bed in the other. I saw out of the glass a dimly lit hall and another room opposite. Inside was empty, apart from a few personal items that I couldn't make out. I now looked at the people in front of her. The woman looked at her with a kind face, where as the man watched her, carefully.

'Where am I?'

'Your safe, Gwen,' she said in a sickly sweet voice which raised the hairs on the back of my neck. I racked my brain, trying to remember what happened. Safe?

'So I'm in Arkham? Aren't I?' I asked coolly. The man nodded, slowly, still watching my every move. I stood up, shakily, saying, 'when am I getting out of here?'

'When you're well,' came the mans voice. It was harsh, and cruel.

'Oh, so I'm ill am I?' I asked.

'Yes, my dear you are,' confirmed the woman.

'So, shouldn't I be in a hospital?' I said, keeping the tone in my voice nice.

'You are in a hospital,' chirped the woman. She was too sweet for my liking.

'No, no, no, no, this is a mental hospital. An asylum. A prison for mad people. You really think I'm mad?' I asked, in false kindness, bought by this woman, instantly.

'Oh no my dear!' she said.

I walked towards her, I said, 'So you don't think I'm a danger?' I was inches from her makeup coated face now, and I hissed, 'Cause I can be!'

She backed away, and the man pulled me back. 'What? Are you scared of little old me?' I mimicked the woman's voice, as they hurried from my cell, sealing it behind them, leaving me alone. I slumped onto the bed, feeling lost. I missed Bruce already, though at the same time, I resented him for putting me here. I looked across the hall and into the other room. It was still too hard to fathom what was in there, but it looked deserted. I looked around my bare room again. This was my new prison, then was it! At least with the Joker it had a bathroom and a fridge. I started fiddling with the ends of my plait, thinking about the Joker. Had I stayed in the warehouse that night, I wouldn't be here. I could be dead, but I could be with Jack. He had the right idea, I guess. Make your way around like he does, and you don't get hurt. Well…emotionally.

At that point a bell rang out. I sat up, quickly, as the door opened again, revealing the man who was here before. He had an orange jumpsuit in his arms.

'Here, change into this, quickly and I'll be back in five minutes.'

He handed me the suit, turning and leaving the room again. I quickly changed, leaving my purple t-shirt and jeans on the bed. Once ready, I waited for the mans return, which was a minute later.

'In the Asylum, there is an hour every day where the inmates go to the dining hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are armed guards watching all the time while the inmates are allowed to socialise,' he seemed to be warning me when he said this.

'Great! I get to meet the neighbours now!' I said sarcastically. He led me out of my cell, and down the corridor. As we passed other cells, I saw people I had seen only on the news. A man I understood as the Riddler, or Edward Nigma. I also saw the woman, Poison Ivy, Jonathan Crane or The Scarecrow. I'd read all their files when I first became a cop. I understood how they felt being stuck in here now. Once at the dining, hall, the man left me after pointing me where to get food. The food was…ok. Actually. Not as bad as I had thought. It was shepherds pie, something I hadn't had in a long time.

I was sat on my own, playing with my food, when I heard a voice above me say, 'I hear you had a run-in with ma Puddin'!'

I looked up to see a young woman with blonde bunches and big blue eyes. She sat down in front of me, waiting for an answer.

'Puddin'?' I said, raising an eyebrow at my visitor.

'My Mister J!' she replied in a high pitched voice.

'You mean the Joker?' I asked. She nodded, smirking. 'How do you know the Joker?'

'I'm his little Harley Quinn! And he's my Mister J!' she replied, a little taken aback.

'Harley Quinn! I've heard a lot about you! You used to work here, didn't you?' I asked, abandoning my shepherd's pie.

'Aha, that's right. Until my Puddin' saved me! What I wanna know is how you know my Puddin'!' she said folding her arms on the table.

'Long story, Quinn! And how do you know about that anyway?' I wondered. She pointed to the small TV mounted on one of the pillars.

'It was on the news! You've been on a few times, but Mister J's been on more. Them coppers are all about him now!' she sighed in adoration, gazing at the TV which had now switched to a breaking news point. A man was on the TV now, his face covered with makeup like the Joker's reading out a letter.

'- and anyone left here plays by my rules. If you don't want to be part of it, leave now,' he said, with the Joker's cruel voice in the background, highlighting certain words, 'but the bridge on the west side is sure in for a surprise! Ha ha ha-' but he was cut off by the Jokers cackling. Harley sighed again, staring at the screen that had now turned to a frantic news reporter.

'So, how'd you end up here?' I asked Harley, who seemed to be snapped back to reality at my voice.

'Long story, Wayne!' she smirked.

'What I don't get, Wayne, is why ma Puddin' chose you! What's special about you?' she pointed out. It sounded offensive to anyone else, but I understood her point.

'Well, we have… a history, shall we say,' I interjected, 'We were best mates as kids.'

'Seriously! Is there anything I should know about ma Puddin'?' she said, seriously.

'Like what?' I said suspiciously.

'Like…erm…what's his name?' she asked, quietly. I laughed. I don't know why, I just did.

'You mean, you don't know?' I laughed, earning a harsh look from Harley.

'I know everything else about him apart from that tiny detail! And that doesn't matter! It's only a name! I gave mine up too!' defended Harley, pointing a finger at me.

'Harleen Quinzel! Do you know how he got those scars?' I asked. She looked taken aback.

'Of course! He did it to himself for his wife, but the bitch left him!' she said, so confident that she was right. I laughed again.

'What else has he told you, Harley?' I smirked.

'Oh and you know how he got them scars?' she said n a cocky voice.

I nodded, 'yep, and you know what, I stitched them up! He came to me when his face was carved, and I stitched them back up again! You can't believe everything he tells you!' I confided. She looked a little confused when I told her this, her trust in the Joker failing a little, before she shook herself, saying, 'Mister J can tell me a million lies, but I still love him! And I know he's coming for me! He's coming to save me from here! You'll see, Wayne! You will see!'

I smiled, her innocence and her obsession I found amusing. She was growing impatient.

'Don't you worry; I'm not taking him from you! You too are madly perfect for each other!' I said, raising my hands in mock surrender.

'Good!' she said, forcefully, looking away from me, but looking back, smiling, and it seemed genuine, 'Any way, you don't seem like his type!'

'Well he's not mine!' I laughed again. After a second of thinking I said, 'Why?'

Harley smirked, 'Well, look at you! Ex cop, you don't look like the type to have ever killed anyone, and to be honest, you're not his type for looks!' she was very honest, Harley was!

'Thanks mate!' I said, sarcastically.

'How's he not your type, anyway?' asked Harley, curiously. I rolled my eyes.

'Well, for starters, the makeup's a bit mad!' I said.

'_I_ think it's amazing! My Mister J has excellent style!'

'Whatever you say, Quinn!'

'You're ok, Wayne! Bit weird, but you're ok! If ma Puddin' likes you then you must be ok!' said Harley, a bit against her better judgement.

'Thanks, mate!' I said again. She smirked, and I returned it. At least there was on person in there who was alright. Despite what I thought, I wasn't alone.


	12. Twisted

The same routine happened the next day. Gwen woke up, and met Harley for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they just chatted. Like real mates do. As if they weren't in the Asylum. She learnt a lot from Harley. They had a lot in common. She was a good person, someone who tried to do well in her life, but winded up meeting the Joker. Gwen started to come round to her way of thinking. Not the crazy obsession for 'Mister J' but the fact that those who had hurt her needed to pay. Her mind was twisting, morphing into one she had once strived to lock up. Gwen, like Harleen and Jack, was slowly dying, but she liked it!

Gwen was back in her cell after dinner. She had been reading the newspaper; she had specifically haggled with the guard to get, when she heard someone's voice outside, saying, 'You're back! This time, you should stick about!' Gwen looked round to see a face, a face she realised she had rather missed. She smirked, as she caught The Joker's eye, and rustled the paper, pulling up to hide her face. His was the deserted room opposite hers. Typical. The door was locked, and the guards left. She could tell he was watching her. She wondered if she could hear him.

'Can you hear me?' she called. She lowered the paper slightly so she could see his face. It seemed not, yet he was still watching her. She raised an eyebrow. He raised his. Gwen closed the paper, and just sat and mimicked his stare. He waved slowly. Gwen returned it. She watched as he carefully mouthed the words, _'Hey Brit_!' Gwen gave an amused sigh. She grabbed the pen and paper (The guard had been particularly generous!) and wrote, '_Couldn't stay away from me Jack?'_ He read this and smirked again. He beckoned to her. Gwen jotted own a quick question mark. He slowly mouthed the words, _'We need to talk.'_ It took a few repeats, before Gwen finally understood what he meant. She nodded. His makeup was all smudged and faded. His green hair dye was coming out, to reveal his dirty blonde hair beneath. She imagined Harley's reaction tomorrow in the dining hall, meeting him again. She laughed to herself at the thought. She thought of the three of them there tomorrow. She couldn't wait that long. It was only seven O'clock. Twelve hours. Too long. She thought for a second, before rising to her feet and going to the door, tapping it a few times with her knuckle. A man's voice could be heard from behind it. It wasn't the same man as the night before, it was a new guard. She was good at getting things she wanted.

'What?' the voice came.

'I need to speak to someone,' she pouted.

'Who?'

'I need to speak to anyone! I can't stand being here on my own, with only a paper to read! I need to talk to someone!' Gwen sighed, in a sickly sweet voice, so unlike her own.

'Speak to me,' he said, cautiously. She rolled my eyes.

'I can't! You don't know what it's like! I need to speak to someone else here! I can't deal with people saying they understand when they don't!' cried Gwen, sniffing.

'Well… I'm sorry, miss, I can't give you special treatment!' he stuttered, seemingly against his better judgement.

'Please! I don't have to go far! Just across the hall! I'll be quick,' Gwen whined.

After a few moments of silence, in which Gwen knew he was considering this, she heard the key in the lock turn, and the door opened to reveal her 'guard'. He seemed young. Maybe new to the job. Obviously, or he wouldn't have given in so easily. She stepped out of her cell, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, saying, 'Thank you so much!'

He blushed. Bless! He led Gwen over the corridor, and fumbled with the key to the Joker's cell door. Once it was opened, he stood aside to let her in, saying, 'Ten minutes. I'll be outside this door.'

'Thank you sir!' she said again in that sickly sweet voice, before the door shut. She turned to look at the Joker, who was laughing at her.

'Thank you sir?' mimicked the Joker. Gwen laughed saying, 'I'm good at haggling!' the Joker sat down, cross legged on his bed, shuffling a pack of cards.

'Can I play?' asked Gwen. The Joker nodded, and Gwen sat opposite him.

'So. How'd you wind up in here_, Brit_?' asked the Joker, shuffling the cards, Gwen realised were smuggled in the Asylum.

'Family issues. I read about your, er, little run-in with my dear friend old Batsy,' Gwen said, casually.

'Yeah, how'd you get the paper?' he asked curiously.

She shrugged, 'I'm good at haggling!'

The Joker examined Gwen for a moment, 'Something's…changed, something's different!' he pointed at Gwen, 'You… you've changed!'

'That's a good thing. I changed for the better.'

'I don't know. Gwenny… is gone!' he said, licking his lips.

'Yeah. She is. Maybe she followed Jack, and Miss Quinzel!' Gwen said, waiting for his reaction to the name of his dear little Harley.

'Oh God, is she still here?' he moaned.

'Harley has complete faith in you that you would return to save her. When she finds out your back, you will have to keep that promise!' Gwen told him, warily.

He scoffed. Gwen imitated him. 'Ok, are we doing this again?' he whined. Gwen smirked.

'So_, Brit_! D'ya hears about dear old Batsy?' asked the Joker, leaning against the wall as he sat. Gwen's eyebrows knitted together. 'Oh, you din't! Well, he's gone into hiding! He, er- killed Harvey Dent!'

'What? Explain!' Gwen ordered.

Licking his lips, the Joker began to explain, 'Well, as you must know, I got sent to the MCU, where dear old Batsy and I had a little…heart to heart. I told him that either Harvey Dent or his Bride to be would live! It seemed to slip my mind as to where they both were… So, while the batman and all the cops went to the rescue, I escaped, by blowing the place up! Taking, Mr. Lau with me, there were none alive after the fireworks!' to Gwen's inner horror, she smirked as he told her this, as he told her he had killed old colleagues of hers. What had happened to her? She shook herself and the Joker continued, 'Well, after that I went home, just to see how everything was, and how my dear little Gwenny was coping in my absence!' he narrowed his eyes, granting Gwen a look of hatred, and murder. She looked smug as he continued, 'You left one of my men dead, and I needed a new door, _thanking you Brit_!' he said the last bit sarcastically, but Gwen wasn't paying attention. She hadn't left one of his men dead, she had found him dead. If the Joker hadn't killed him, who did?

'I didn't kill that bloke,' Gwen defended herself, as the Joker's expression turned sour.

'Well, if you didn't, doll, then who did?' he said, his voice smug. Gwen opened her mouth the respond, but at that point the door opened to reveal thee guard, who said, 'Time's up.'

Gwen stood and the Joker winked. She winked back, leaving the room with the guard. He unlocked the door to her cell, and she entered, smiling at him as he closed it. The key was heard in the lock, and everything was quiet. Gwen folded her arms, and turned to see the Joker watching her again. She slumped on her bed and picked up the paper. On hearing the news about Batman's downfall, she vowed to pay attention to the actual news bit of a newspaper. Originally, she had been doing the crosswords, but turning to the front page, she saw the image of old Batsy, and the story. She read it, smirking. So, apparently Batman was a murderer now? Gwen rustled the paper again, thinking of tomorrow. Visiting day should be eventful!


	13. Scum

**_Sorry I haven't updated in a while, been back at school this week…GCSE year….:S anyway, read on my lovelies! Holls :P x_**

Between us was a sheet of glass with mucky finger prints smeared all over. I took the phone from the holder and watched him repeat the action.

'Hey, Bruce,' I said, unsmiling.

'Gwen, I'm so sorry! How you coping?' he asked, concerned. I didn't trust him. I didn't buy that kind, innocent tone. It was wasted on me, and he should do well to remember it.

'Fine. Great actually! I saw you in the paper! Great idea killing Dent! Excellent. You want people to like you, you're gonna have to refrain from murdering the DA's, Batsy. It doesn't go too well with the locals!' I said, casually, leaning back in my chair watching Bruce's expression. It was difficult to read.

He took a deep breath, 'Gwen. It's difficult to explain. I know how it seems, but I didn't kill Dent.'

I raised an eyebrow, chewing on the inside of my cheek.

'And there are only two people I know who have ever called me 'Batsy',' he growled.

I smirked at this, 'Ah, yes, I've been chatting on to a few of your old chums!'

'I don't think you should be listening to Harley Quinn, Gwen, she's bad news!' moaned Bruce, leaning forward. I mimicked.

'Harley's not the only one I've been chatting too, either!' this made Bruce raise an eyebrow. He wore a look of confusion.

'Jack sends his best!' I said, simply, turning Bruce's confused face, to a look of pure hatred- and it was great! I got such joy out of seeing this! I don't know why. He banged his fist on the bench, growling as he did so, making me comment, 'Temper, temper!'

'I'm so sorry, Gwen, I'll have you out of here in no time! I promise the next meal you have will be at home!' he vowed.

'Actually, _Cous_, I rather like Arkham's meals!' I said slowly, seeing the hate grow stronger in his eyes. Not for me though…

'Gwen. Please, don't do this! Come home!' he pleaded, his fist tightening even more. I tutted, shaking my head, saying, 'I like the neighbors.'

He loosened his fist, and just looked at me with sad eyes, 'What's happened to you?'

'I trusted you, Wayne; I actually thought I could trust you! I came back! I escaped the Joker, and I came back to you, thinking I would be safe! Then you and Gordon chuck me in here, as if I were scum!' I hissed, mimicking the hatred in Bruce's eyes, and projecting it all for him to see.

'Gwen, you know Gordon and I, we were only thinking of how to keep you _safe_!' he shouted, making a few heads in the room turn. I didn't care!

'You know, Bruce, I think you should think about your own safety, cos if you don't leave now they'll be picking bits of you off the walls for months!' I was standing now. I had dropped the phone, but he could hear my yells. At that point two guards appeared at my sides. I took a deep breath, and calmed down before adding, sweetly, 'Watch for me on the news, Wayne! I'll give you a shout out!' and with that, I waved and was escorted back to my cell, leaving Bruce alone, watching me as I went, with a look of sadness I ignored.


	14. Kisses and Crosswords

**_Hi guys, thanks for reading and reviewing! This one's for KatieLouise10x- thanks my dear! Read on guys! Holls :P x_**

I don't know why I acted the way I did with Bruce. Bruce, the only one who was always there for me, he was my family, my best friend. I trusted him with my life. And that was my mistake. Id put my faith in the wrong man. He's dead to me now. Just as I am.

I was back in my cell, with only five minutes to Lunch. I felt the Joker's eyes on me again. I was reading today's paper, headlined: Batman Still At Large. I ruffled the pages, and closed the paper, swiftly, looking at the Joker, watching me. His eyebrows knitted together, mouthing, 'You ok, Brit?' I shrugged my shoulders. His eyes moved to the paper lying next to me. I held it up for him to see the front page. He smirked, just as the bell went. My guard opened the door, letting me out. I saw the Joker so the same. He hadn't been at breakfast this morning. As I walked beside him, he elbowed me. I looked at him and he smiled, saying, 'Chin up, _Brit_, you got me now!'

I smiled, saying, 'your girlfriend's been dying to see you!' he groaned, making me laugh.

'PUDDIN'!' squealed Harley, running up to the Joker, throwing her arms around his neck, giggling like crazy. Her blonde bunches were almost suffocating the Joker, as he tried to prize her off him. There were people all around us watching, and laughing at the pair. I stood by and watched this little reunion. This seemed, to me, an almost humane thing. The most humane thing I had seen the Joker involved in. it brought a genuine smile to my face. After a few minutes of the Jokers useless struggles, Harley released him. He looked flustered.

'Come on,' I said, taking Harley by the arm and leading her to the table in the far corner of the room- our table. The Joker reluctantly trudged along behind. He slumped into a chair, and Harley sat on his lap, her arms around his neck again. He looked at me opposite them, and mouthed, 'Help!' I smirked, shaking my head.

'Harley, let the man breath!' I said, as she loosed her grip around his neck and gazing at him, obsessed. He simply said, weakly, 'Hey, Harls!'

'Oh, Puddin', I've missed you so much! I knew you'd come for me!' she giggled. The Joker merely smiled at her, as she buried her head in his shoulder again.

'So, Brit, what happened with dear old Brucey?' he asked, casually, as Harley squeezed him tighter.

'He's history. That idiot doesn't know left from right. He doesn't care about the lunatic cousin of his! To be honest I don't give a damn!' I said as Harley began playing with the Jokers fading green hair. He ignored this action, focusing on me, rather than his little girlfriend.

'You shouldn't. The guy left you here, to rot! He dumped you cos he didn't have the balls to protect you from little old me himself!' crooned the Joker. He tried to push Harley away, and off his lap, but she clung on tighter.

'This is sweet, really, Harley, but I think Puddin here may be slowly loosing conscience,' I said casually, coming to the Joker's rescue. Harley slip off his lap, and into the chair next to Mister J, still gazing at him. The newly freed Joker leant forward, laying his hands before him on the table, facing me. I narrowed my eyes, leaning back into my chair. Harley looked from me to the Joker, a little confused.

'What are you planning, Brit?' asked the Joker, slowly. Harley stared at me. I raised an eyebrow, still not taking my eyes from the Jokers.

'How'd you know I was planning?' I asked, curiously. He shrugged.

'I've known you a long time, Wayne!' he smirked again. I winced at the name.

'What?' he asked.

'My name is not _Wayne_, mate!' I said.

'Ah, so what's your actual name?' piped up Harley. I didn't answer. I merely stood and, without a word, moved to the buffet, getting one of the fresh green apples from the bowl. I took a bite, and turned- only to be stopped by the Joker. He had left Harley with, what was her name… plant lady…Poison- something.

'What you thinking_, Gwenny_?' he asked, 'What's the plan?'

I laughed, 'Oh, Jack, you should know me by now! I don't plan,' I said, handing him the apple, as the bell went for end of lunch, 'I do!' with that, I left him with the apple, staring after me. I met my guard, winked, and he followed me to my cell. As I came to the door, I saw the Joker coming to his. I thought for a moment, and shouted, 'Everdeen.'

He looked at me, 'What?'

'Gwenivere Everdeen!'

He smirked, 'Better then Wayne, anyway!' he was sealed into his cell, and I followed. I lay on my front on my bed, with the paper again. I turned to the crossword page; and busied my self for a while. 3 down, three words, first colour of the rainbow. Red. Three across, three letters, beginning with R ending M… Rum. Red Rum. RedRum.

I wonder…


	15. Rebellion

I lay, motionless, staring at the ceiling for a long time. It seemed like ages before the bell went for dinner. However, I didn't move. When my guard came in to my cell, I refused to go. I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the Joker looking at me through the glass with a puzzled look.

'Why won't you go?' asked the guard, kindly. He seemed to have taken a fondness to me! Excellent. I stayed in that same position, saying, 'I can't take it in here! I want to leave! I feel so alone!' I cried, and sobbed. The guard, looking awkward, came over to my side, saying, 'I'm sorry, Miss, it's gonna be alright! You'll get used to it.'

I sat up, sniffing, 'You're ok! I don't even k-k-know your name!'

He straightened up, 'Dave. My name… it's, er…Dave.' He sounded embarrassed.

'Aww! I love that name! Thanks for being there Dave!' I cooed, and jumped up and wrapped my arms round his waist. He awkwardly returned the hug. I carefully closed my fingers around his gun and slipped it into my pocket, un-noticed. I let go and he did too. I smiled sweetly at him, and waved as he left the cell. I heard the lock click, and I turned my smile into a smirk. I took the gun out of my pocket and examined it. It was just like my dads old revolver. It was fully loaded. Excellent. I twirled it in my hands and placed it back in my pocket. Feeling immensely pleased with myself, I fell onto my bed, and smiled at the ceiling. Now all I needed to do was wait.

~Third Person~

It was late. Gwen looked over into the Joker's cell, and saw him lying on his back, seemingly asleep. Not for long. Gwen swung her legs around on the floor, and sat on the edge of her bed. She pulled out of her pocket the gun belonging to her guard, and knocked on her door. The key turned in the lock, and the door opened to reveal Dave, standing there, red faced, and confused. 'What?' he asked.

'Oh, I just wanted to talk!' said Gwen, shrugging her shoulders, 'Now tell me where Harley Quinn's cell is, or God help me, I'll pull this trigger, and blow your brains out!' I hissed, holding the gun to his forehead. His hands immediately went to the empty holster on his belt. He backed into the wall, as Gwen moved forward with the gun in her hand. 'You tricked me!' he said

'Gee, you catch on quick! Now, time is ticking, where is Harley Quinn?' Gun to his forehead, Gwen could almost hear his heart pounding. A bead of sweat, and Dave swallowed hard.

'I c-can't do that, Miss!' he stuttered. Gwen tilted her head and pouted her lip.

'Pity!' she pulled the trigger, and the man was dead, 'I'll have to find her myself!' she moved away from his lifeless, bloody body, and ran towards the Joker's cell. He had woken from the gun fire, and so had his sleeping guard. He fumbled with his gun, but Gwen was too quick. Another bullet gone, Gwen took the mans keys and let the Joker free.

'You took your time, _Brit_!' he smirked, stepping over the mans body and towards Gwen. She raised her eyebrow, looking at him.

'Couldn't leave without you, mate!' she said, in a sarcastic voice. He smirked again, and kissed Gwen's forehead, 'Let's go!'

Gwen stopped him, 'Harley.'

The Joker groaned. Gwen shook her head, 'Harley is coming!'

'What makes you think you can tell me what to do?' he said, in a rather demanding voice. She laughed.

'I have the Gun, _pal!_ You follow me, or you'll end up like my _buddies_ over there!' she threatened. The Joker narrowed his eyes.

'You wouldn't kill me, would you, _Brit_?' he hissed. He was right. As much as she hated to admit it, she could not be without her Jack. She moved her fingers over the place where he had marked her. He looked at this, puzzled. His eyebrows knitted together again, and a sort of realization came over him. This moment was broken, however, by the sound of more guards coming down the hall. The duo slipped into the shadows, waiting quietly, as the guards passed. They examined the bodies and empty cell, and the alarm was raised.

The guards left, leaving one behind, searching for Gwen and the Joker. Gwen held up the gun, pointing it to the guard. He was string in the opposite direction of them, pointing a gun wildly in every direction. A swift pull of the trigger and the man was lost. Gwen emerged from the shadows, followed by the Joker.

'Right, this way,' said Gwen, pointing down the hall. The Joker took the mans Gun, and they ran down the hall, frantically searching for Harley. They passed so many people, or half-people. Gwen stopped.

'What?' asked the Joker.

'You know what would suck?' she said, in an eerie voice, that was so different to her normal voice, it sent chills down the Jokers back.

She marched over to the nearest cell, containing the plant lady Harley was with earlier. All the guards had gone from their posts, searching for the two of them. Gwen shot the lock and released Poison Ivy. The woman stepped from her cell. Her skin was tinged slightly green and she had long, flaming red hair. She looked Gwen up and down, and said, 'Thanks, doll!' she blew her a kiss, and escaped in the shadows. The Joker grabbed her arm, violently, saying, 'what the hell you doing', Brit?'

'Let's have a little fun!' She pulled away from his death grip and smirked. He slowly returned it, moving to the next cell over, and mimicking Gwen's actions. Edward Nigma, otherwise known as the Riddler, stood before them. They repeated this for every cell. Soon, Arkham Asylum inmates were free. A sea of orange all around them.

'Give em Hell, boys!' yelled Gwen, blowing a kiss to all of the inmates, as they left the Asylum. The Joker tapped Gwen on the shoulder, and they continued to search for Harley. After a few minutes, they found her, blowing gum bubbles. When she saw her Puddin, her face lit up. She squealed again, running up to the glass. The Joker just stared at her. Gwen moved to the lock. She was abut to blow the lock, when she felt the Joker's hand on her shoulder. He had moved away from the glass, to see Gwen.

'What?' asked Gwen.

'What are you gonna do? When were outta here? What are you gonna do, _Brit_?'

Gwen thought a moment. What would she do?

'This and that. Why do you care?' she asked, examining the bullet less gun. Great. Gwen took out of her hair a clip, and started fiddling about in the lock.

'Come with us,' came the Joker's voice. Gwen continued her lock picking, thinking about this. It was true she enjoyed the Jokers company. To be with him, partners in crime! Two of a kind again. She remembered ten years before. But it wouldn't be just them.

'Argh! I can't get it!' let out Gwen, frustrated, as the lock would not obey, 'To Hell with this!' she stood up, and ran to the far end of the hall, opposite Harleys cell. Both the Joker and Harley looked confused. Gwen took the gun and threw it at the glass. The two took cover as the glass shattered all over the floor. Harley tip-toed over it and towards the Joker. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him, tightly. He returned it, but seemingly reluctantly. Gwen watched this scene as she had at lunch. But feeling something different. She pulled this thought from her mind, and smirked.

'Well, if you two are done, I think we'd better be off, otherwise, feel free to be gunned down by the men in white coats!' Gwen ran for the exit, and they followed. However she paused. A door, with a sign reading, 'Confiscated' attracted her attention. The joker and Harley caught up with her, as she entered the room. The three of them looked around the room full of weapons, and valuables belonging to the inmates of Arkham Asylum. The Joker found his trusty switchblade, among many other of his wares, including his purple and green suit. He took it and smirked! Harley, in turn, found her harlequin costume and an array of guns. Gwen searched through the costumes and guns and knives, picking out a few things that caught her eye. She found her purple t shirt and jeans with her black doc Martens. She changed away from the others, and took a couple of knives and a gun or two. She put them in her boots and pockets, leaving her hands free. She found them again, now in their trademark costumes, taking their belongings, and many others.

'You ready?' Gwen asked. The Joker looked at her and smirked.

'Nice colour choice, _Brit_!'

Gwen winked, and they left the room. On leaving, Gwen saw a row of grenades and explosives. Sighing contently, she pocketed a few and closed the door behind her.

'Which way, Puddin?' asked Harley. The Joker chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment before going left. They ran up the hall, passing empty cells and dead guards. Looks like the inmates had kept true to Gwen's request. They came to a dead end, and, hearing guards behind them, a dead stop. About six came round the corner, pointing guns at the three of them. They were shouting at them, ordering to drop their weapons. Gwen slowly pulled a grenade from her pocket and pulled the pin. Dropping it at the foot of the wall, she pushed the Joker and Harley to the ground to take cover, as far from the wall as possible, the explosion was deafening but successful. The guards were buried under the debris. The trio raised their heads and saw the night's sky. Freedom at their fingertips, they set out into the night.


	16. Live a Little

**_Hiya guys! I was going to end the story at that, but there's a lot I wanted to put in! Loads of stuff to come yet, guys! I don't particularly want to finish this story! Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys kept me going! This one for all of you! Read on my dears! Holls :P x_**

I didn't realize how easy it was to hijack a truck! All it took was a few bullets and it was ours! I refused to let the Joker drive, purely because I had heard about his little…joy ride not too long ago. I didn't particularly want to be capsized in a huge truck. I drove, while Harley and the Joker were messing on with bombs and guns and other things in the cargo bit. I sat alone in the front. I wasn't sure where I was headed, but I wanted to put as much distance between myself and the Narrows. I had killed three, possibly more, people in cold blood. I killed Dave without a second glance! And those two other guards! Then I blew another bunch up! It disturbed me slightly to know that I had actually_ not_ cared! I was turning into the Joker! I was now a murderer. What would I do now? Work alone? Steal? Kill? What…

At this point I heard Harley's voice chime through the trunk. It was cute at first, but I was slowly getting on my nerves. And Joker had to put up with it! Ha. I'd stopped calling him Jack… Id stopped calling myself Wayne…

'Hey, _Brit,_ you concentrating on the road?' came his voice from behind, snapping me back to reality.

'What? Oh, yea, just thinking,' I said, absent-mindedly. He slip into the passenger's seat, and started to pick at the stitches at the corner of his scars.

'Thinking what?' he wondered aloud.

'Nothing important. What about you? Thought you were helping Harley,' I asked. He shrugged.

'She can manage. Wanted to know where we're headed!' he stopped picking his stitches and fiddled with his switchblade. I looked at him out the corner of my eye, noticing he had his overcoat slung over the seat and his shirt sleeves rolled up. He had a fresh coat of makeup on, but his hair was still faded green. He noticed me watching him, and turned to face ahead.

'Not too sure, to be honest, mate!' I said. I stifled a yawn, and added, 'Can't be bothered to drive.'

'I'll drive!' he said, hopefully. I considered this a moment, before giving up.

'Fine. Swap at the next light.' I said. He smirked, triumphantly. Great! I didn't break out of Arkham to die in a truck!

He put away the blade, and said, 'so what _are_ ya gonna do? Go back to little _Cous_?'

'No. Not going back there anytime soon,' I scoffed, making Joker raise his eyebrows.

'Come with me, _Doll!_ Time you started livin a little!' he said.

'What'll dear Harley think?!' I said in mock distress. The Joker laughed a little.

'Don't worry 'bout her! Anyway, you couldn't go a day without me!' he said, matter of factly.

'Alright then, if you're gonna keep on begging!' I said, smirking. We stopped at the next set of traffic lights, and swapped over driving. He took the wheel, laughing eerily under his breath. When the lights turned green, he sped off, making the sides of the truck shake dangerously. I could hear Harley falling all over in the back. I poked my head through the window into the back of the truck to see Harley, desperately trying to sort bullets into guns, but they just kept spilling all over. I sat back down saying, 'That's the only reason you wanted to drive, right? To make Harley suffer?' he cackled. I couldn't help but laugh at him. I opened the window, blasted by the cool air that now met my face. I was free. And it was great! The Joker turned a corner, so violently; I was thrown into his side. A little embarrassed, I tried to sit up, but he threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me in tightly, and saying in a triumphant voice, 'Oh isn't this great! Best buds back together! You know, Brit, this is gonna be great!'

His grip was so tight; I elbowed him in the ribs. He let me go, and I could breathe again. Laughing at me again, he slammed on the brakes, and we came to an abrupt stop. A thud came from the wall behind- Harley.

'You ok, Harls?' I called through.

'Ahuh! Where are we?' she said, weakly, popping her head up through the window. She looked flustered. I opened my mouth to answer, before stopping my self. Where _were_ we?

'Where are we?' I asked the Joker.

He smirked, 'Home!'


	17. Is this Home?

So this was home? I stood above two wooden doors, leading to a cellar underneath this old pub, with boarded up windows and doors, and a faded sign that could not be read. Tiles were breaking away from the roof, and the paint from the bricks was chipping away. Was this where I should learn to be happy? Joker pulled open the doors, and he held out an arm for Harley and I to go first. Harley climbed in and descended the stairs. I looked at Joker warily, before following her down into darkness. The doors slammed behind us as the Joker followed, throwing us into total darkness.

'Puddin'! Cried Harley from somewhere to my left. I wheeled around, trying to catch a glimpse of anything.

'Hold on…One second…Got it!' came Joker's voice, and a second later his face shone in the darkness. He had a small torch aimed at his face, making his clown-like face eerie and ghostly in the dark. He bared his yellow teeth at Harley and myself, making Harley squeak. I laughed.

'Where d'ya get that?' I asked.

He shone the light at my face, saying, 'I got pockets, ya know!'

'What else you got in that jacket?' I asked, suspiciously. He shrugged, and started to shine the light around the dusty cellar. It wasn't much light to go off, but it was light all the same. We found a light switch, and Harley flicked it, to no avail. She kept flicking it up and down.

'Harley, it's no point, they'll have shut the electricity off when the place went bust!' I said, while Harley huffed in frustration. I turned round, as the Joker shone the light over to Harley, who was now rummaging through the boxes of old bottles. What was the point? I will never know! The light was dim, but it was enough to have a look around. The walls were stone, and the ceiling was low, with one hanging light in the centre. There were old, wooden boxes stroon everywhere, some half covered with dirty white sheets, and some revealing broken glass bottles, and old wrappers and cartons for some kind of out of date foods. I moved carefully around to examine the place, when a tripped on a box, landing hard on my side, and causing more boxes to crash down on top of me. The Joker and Harley spun round and came running to see me trapped under the boxes, and surrounded by broken glass. The Joker laughed cruelly, kicking the box off me, and holding out a gloved hand to pull me to my feet. The glass had cut all my bare skin; arms, neck and face, which were now bleeding. I took his hand and was pulled to my feet, my wrist searing with pain. I winced, and the Joker roughly pulled it, making him smirk. Harley was just behind him, holing the torch, pointing it at the back of his head. I rubbed it gingerly, throwing him a mean look, as I turned away from him and, watching where I was going, moved to the other side of the dingy cellar, only to find a door, half hanging off its hinges. I carefully made my way over to see behind were a flight of stairs, leading up to the main area that used to be the bar. I turned to see the Joker and Harley, back to me, Harley giggling like crazy. I left them to…whatever, and climbed over the door, making my way upstairs. Again, it was dark, but there was a little bit of light coming from in-between the bordered up windows. The bar was cold, damp and had a thick layer of dust, covering the whole room. The padded seats at the bar, were a faded red, and were moth-eaten, some with broken legs. The floor had a small amount of debris scattered around, making another tripping hazard. Carefully, I edged towards the boards in the window, and, seeing the rusted nails coming loose, pulled at one of the boards, until it came away from the window completely. A flood of light came streaming in, making it easier to see. I wiped at my bleeding arm, pulling my rolled-up sleeves down, to try and stem the flow. I wiped my sleeve over the cuts on my face. I thought to myself a second, before pulling out one of the stolen knives from Arkham's storage, and pulling out the nails in the boards. Soon, they were all off, and there was a healthy amount of light in the room. I left the other windows and doors boarded. I examined the room once again, when I heard the Joker calling me from the cellar.

'Brit!'

I heard the two of them coming up the stairs. Harley was examining the room, but the Joker's gaze was fixed on me. I'd noticed this many times. He would just stare right at me, with some sort of eerie theme to it, almost as though he were trying to penetrate my skull with his gaze. I looked away, and focused my attention on Harley, who was now looking around the room, with a look of disgust at the mess.

'Urgh! We're supposed to live here!' asked Harley, incredulously, staring at the Joker.

'Oh, Harls!' sighed the Joker as he broke his gaze at me and put an arm around Harleys shoulder, pulling her in tightly, 'We gotta make do with what we got!' she giggled and kissed him on the cheek 'Hate to be the buzz kill, but I gotta go out for a bit! Don't wait up for me!' I said turning, and descending the stairs to the cellar once more. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, expecting to see Harley, but was surprised to see the Joker.

'Look, I wont get caught; I wont run away, I'm just going to pick a few things up from dear Brucey's, ok?' I huffed, as he folded his arms and just stared at me, 'Ok, why do you do that?' I asked folding my arms, mimicking him. Again he said nothing, 'I'll not be long!' I turned swiftly and began to make my way to the cellar doors, only to stop dead as the Joker's hysterical laughs filled the room.

'What?' I cried, making him laugh harder.

'You! You think you can just waltz back there, pick up a few things and leave without a word? You're crazy!' he laughed. God he could be so annoying!

'I'm good you know! I'll leave him a little something! Just to remember me by! Cause, Jackie, Little Cous won't recognize his own flesh and blood!' I said, making him pause. He tilted his head, and raised an eyebrow.

'What you up to, Brit?' he asked, slowly and suspiciously. I smirked, and turned to leave again.


	18. Reborn

_**Just for any confusion, I edited the end of the last chapter to fit with what I wanted to do here, so if you were waiting to read this chapter, then you'll have to read the end of the last one to understand it better! Thanks, and if anyone has any suggestions on names for Gwen, feel free to review them! Thanks Holls :P x**_

'Hey, Brit! Wait up!' called Harley from behind me. I turned to see her hurrying up the stairs from the cellar and out into the open. She stood before me, with a serious look upon her face, 'where you goin'?'

I shrugged, 'Here and there. Why?'

'Cos! I need to talk to you! What's goin' on between you and Mister J?' she asked, folding her arms.

I laughed, harshly, 'What makes you think there's something going on between me and 'Puddin'?' I asked, mimicking Harley's accent on the last word. She narrowed her eyes.

'The way he looks at'ya! The way he talks at'ya!' she spat.

'Wha'd'ya mean, Harls?' I asked. She smirked.

'Ya don't see it, do ya?'

'Spit it out, Quinn, I haven't got all day!'

She laughed. I shook my head and turned to the truck.

'No, no no! Wait. Look, if you meant what ya said back at the loony bin, about you 'n him, then what the Hell!' she shrugged, tilting her head.

'Yeah, well, he's probably just trying to make you jealous, Harley! Just play along, or something, I don't know!' she giggled.

'Yea, you're probably right! Hey, if you're gonna be hanging around with us, then you're gonna have to have a _serious_ make over! I mean don't get me wrong, you look...' she paused, taking a strand of my now greasy hair in-between her gloved fingers, 'okay, but you're gonna need something a little different! A new look!' I considered this. The possibilities of changing my attire completely, my hair my face my style…my name…me! I could be whoever I wanted.

'Sounds tempting! What you got in mind?' I asked, smirking.

'Few questions… on the spot! Favorite two colours?' she asked. I paused. Favorite two colours were black and red- taken.

'Black, red-'seeing her expression, hastily added, 'and purple.' She raised an eyebrow.

'Mmmm… hate to burst the bubble but red and blacks mine, kid! Could work with black and purple I guess… more black than purple…' she thought for a minute or two, before jumping at a thought, 'how's about we get'ya some sort of black suit with a belt thing, with guns 'n' stuff on, then black dyed hair with purple dips, then maybe some purple boots like the ones you got there!' she said, smiling triumphantly.

'Sounds promising! Name?' I asked, thinking to myself again. Name… what was a good name for me?

'Play around with your name a bit… Gwen Wayne,' said Harley, pausing when I sneered at the name.

'Gwenivere Everdeen,' I corrected. It felt strange going back to my real name. I thought of my parents…what they must think of me now…

'Everdeen? I'm not even gonna try with that name, Honey. Well, Mister J and I call ya Brit all the time... could ya goby that?' asked Harley. I shook my head.

'No,! there's 'The Joker', 'Harley Quinn', they both have a ring to it! They sound like cool names. 'Brit!' It just doesn't sound right,' I said, making Harley agree.

'Argh, we'll think of something once you get your gear! What are your strengths?' she asked me.

'Well, I guess I'm a good fighter, I was a cop, and I had extra help from a certain-' I stopped. I was almost about to let slip about Bruce's little secret. He had batrayed me, made me feel more alone than ever, and hurt me in a way that snapped my sanity and made me never to trust anyone ever again, but I for some reason I still felt obliged to keep his secret. Why?

'Certain places elsewhere. I can pick locks okay. I have good aim with guns, I guess. I'm pretty good at lying,' I listed. Harley nodded. After a second of silence, she giggled, randomly, grabbing my arm, and pulling me towards the truck. I followed, sitting myself in the passenger seat as she took the wheel.

'Where are we going?' I asked, curiously.

'Shopping!' she giggled, and with that she pulled away from the dingy looking pub, and set off for our new destination-the heart of Gotham City!


	19. Headaches

_**Hiya guys, please forgive I haven't had time to write for ages- School! So anyway, this is in the point of view of the Joker- haven't done one of these yet, so it should be fun! Forgive if it goes terribly wrong! :P Holls x**_

So, my dear little, _uh_, friends, left me all on my lonesome to play with knives and gun powder. Not the best at keeping watch! Deciding I should get to know the place a little better, I wandered up stairs, sizing up the rooms and examining the bathroom sanitation- not the best, but what the Hell. The Harlequin could fix that, now can't she! There were a few rooms, with moth-eaten beds, torn drapes and dusty floors. The windows weren't boarded up, as the ones down stairs had been, but they were filthy. This place seemed to be some sort of B&B, in its day. Picking the cleaner, less rotten of the rooms, I abandoned my trench coat, and emptied the pockets. It weighed almost a ton, so it seemed. There were maybe a dozen knives, a few guns, of all different models, grenades, the little torch, and a set of worn playing cards, a few Joker calling cards, lint, marker pens and a dime. Examining the contents, now stroon on the faded maroon bed spread, I thought to myself. I needed a lot more than this from the back of the truck we, uh_, borrowed_. Damn chicks taking it when I needed it! There was some serious working out to do.

There were only the three of us. Me, the Harlequin, and Brit. Brit… what use was she to our little…project? What could she do that was any need for me to, uh, what did I do? Hire her? Invite her? Well I didn't kidnap her this time, I guess. She agreed didn't she!? I had successfully brought her down to my level, twisting her mind to think like my own! As much as I hated to admit it, I kinda miss my old _Gwenny_! Don'tcha gets me wrong, I love the new, _uh_, Miss Everdeen, but she wasn't the same as the person I had grown up with. Is that better? Ii guess, my little Brit is more cunning, smart, sneaky…more like me! Ha! I don't know why…but- and this has been driving me mad!- but recently, I've had this… how do I put it… ah, urge to just, you know, have her there! You know just right there next to me- not like with Harley, she just gets in the way. I can hit her; give her a slap, and a kick every now and again, even whip out my old blade, just to show her who's the boss around here! And its great, cos she plays along, whimpers, sometimes even cries… But with Brit, she just don't care! She talks back, is rude, arrogant, deceitful! She just laughs in my face! I try to kill her, she comes back with a clever line, and I can't counter it! She drives me absolutely crazy! But I couldn't live without her! I keep on thinking back to that moment, back in the loony bin, when we were breakin' out, together, two of a kind, she stopped, and rubbin' on the place I marked her as my own. Was that her way of tellin' me summin'? Or what? God she's giving me a headache, and she aint even here! I ran my tongue over my dry, chapped lips, running a hand through my faded green hair, pacing the room, thinking. Well…Stressing more than thinking. How to draw as much and as little attention to ourselves? Bringing the Bat out of hiding…breaking Gotham's soul…not thinking about Brit… I felt in the pockets of my trousers, bringing out more knives and- for some reason- gum wrappers. I thought of Harley. Speaking of which…

I heard the truck pulling up out the back of the building. Going to the window I saw Harley step out of the driver's side, and a stranger with long black and purple hair from the passenger. No…it couldn't be… could it?

I heard the two of them laughing, grabbing stuff from the back of the truck, a few huge, bulging bags, and the machine guns and boxes of bullets, and bringing them in through the cellar. I descended the stairs, pocketing the switch blade- cant go anywhere without it- only to bump straight into someone I nearly didn't recognize.

Her hair had changed from its usual dark brown to a velvety shade of black, dip-dyed a deep shade of purple-much like his own costume. She had black eyeliner, winged at the corner of her eyes, and down one side of her pale face was a twirled pattern, giving her a mystical look. I noticed her lips- black, and shining. She wore a black suit with a kind of utility belt- much like dear Batsys- with gun holsters, pockets and a few knives. She looked like some sort of gothic ninja, from one of those spy movies. She had long black sleeves, ending with fingerless, leather, biker gloves, and purple painted nails, to match her hair and new shiny Doc Martens. She looked…Stunning!

'Hey, _beautiful_!' I drawled, making her laugh. She backed down the stairs as I continued down. She stopped at the foot, not taking her eyes off me. Harley had returned to the truck to retrieve more things. I leaned in close to her face. She didn't recoil; she just looked straight into my eyes, holding my gaze. I twirled a strand of her hair through my gloved fingers, ending at the purple bits holding it there, saying, 'Likin' this!' she smirked.

'You would though wouldn't'cha?' she said, with a somewhat new found gleam in her eyes, and her voice. It was…great! Suddenly, she pulled from behind her (guessing from one of the pouches/pockets on her bet-thing) a small box, throwing it so quickly, I almost didn't catch it. Fumbling with it, I saw it was a box of green hair dye- the exact one I needed! I looked back at her, as she said. 'Knock yourself out, _clown__**!**_' she slid past me, grabbing one of the huge bags id seen her take from the truck, slinging it over her back and continuing up the stairs, I watched her as she went, feeling something…weird I kinda did, and didn't like. I cocked my head, taking out the switchblade, and throwing it at the centre of her bag. Hit! She turned swiftly, taking out the switchblade, and glancing at the Joker, smirked and pocketed it.

'You're gonna need more than a few knives, guns and looks ya know to, uh, sway a certain bat!' I called. She looked back at me, and said, 'Honey, who says I haven't already brought him to his knees?' with that she turned, and disappeared into the room next to my own, closing the door, and leaving me, still staring at the place she had just stood!


	20. Music and Tears

_**Hello guys, haven't updated in ages, purely because school has been mad! :( There have been some bad reviews, but I don't care! Thanks for telling me what you think, and I'll try and Improve where I should, and can. The only thing I won't do is stop writing it, because I am really enjoying it! So if that's what you want, for me to stop writing or deleting the story all together, I'm sorry but that's not happening! No Offence, but I'm doing this not to get praise or anything like that, but because I enjoy writing! **_

_**Thank you to AnastasiaDove, who was my 12th reviewer! Whoo! Thank you so much for yours and everyone's support :) This one is for you! **_

_**Read on ~Holls :P**_

_**P.S this is Gwen's point of view! Thanks :P**_

I lay on my back, on the new, clean bed sheet I had, erm, 'bought', while out that day, with my old iPod playing Alice Cooper, 'No more Mr Nice Guy', completing the days crosswords in the Papers. Of course, Arkham's inmates, plus myself, J and miss Quinn, where plastered across the pages. They used words like, 'Dangerous', 'Deranged, and 'Not to be approached'! They were so nice!

As the lyrics played over in my mind, I thought about what would happen in the near future. I was finally free of that chain, binding me to what I could and couldn't do, what was right and wrong, and what my duties had been. That was now broken, giving me the chance to do…well, everything! Providing I could slip away before my 'old friends' paid me a visit or two!

_No more Mr nice guy, no more Mr cle-e-e-ean! _

Where would we be without our dear Mr Cooper? Just as the song finished, I heard the door creak open, revealing the Joker, who had abandoned his enormous trench coat, and gloves, and a gleaming new coat of green hair and face paint. I lowered the paper slightly, before bringing it back up to hide my face, saying, 'May I help you?'

I could almost hear his smirk, 'I'll, _uh_, be needing my knife back, _Brit_! That's my good one!'

I looked down to my side, where I had laid the switchblade. I ditched the paper, twirling the blade in my fingers. The Joker raised an eyebrow, leaning on the door frame. I looked at him, then at the wall by him. I always did have good aim…

I quickly, but carefully, and thankfully accurately, flicked the knife, so it lodged into the door frame, just missing the Joker's face. He jumped as it nearly pierced his skull, then laughing, pulling it from the wall.

'Good aim, Gwenny, but you need a little more…_force_ in the wrist,' he noted, examining the blade, then looking straight at me, smirking again. I was about to come back with some sort of smart remark when Guns & Roses came streaming through my headphones. I randomly started smiling, almost giddy, making the Joker tilt his head, wearing a look of confusion. I laughed, taking out one headphone, and gesturing for him to take it. Cautiously he did, and we sat for a moment or two, listening to 'Sweet Child O' Mine'.

'Er, what's this?' he asked.

I gaped at him, 'You've never heard this song?' he raised an eyebrow again, answering my question.

'Oh, come on mate?! You need to be educated in music!' I groaned, making him rise, walking towards the door, and holding his hands up in mock surrender.

'Do I look like a guy who spends most of my time listening to music?' he asked.

I shrugged, 'You're not doing anything now! I mean, if there was something to do,, you wouldn't be here talking to me, would you? You'd be out there putting all your effort into it! Am I right?' I asked, making him wear a look of annoyance. I crossed my legs, pausing my music, and taking out my headphones, holding out my hand for him to join me. He huffed, checked his watch, and came to my side, closing the door.

'Right, music is great, 'cause it passes time while you're doing things! It helps you concentrate! It's been scientifically prove…I think. It helps me so, you know, that's proof enough!' I said, looking through my songs, creating a playlist just for J. I added 'Sweet Child O' Mine', 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'Poison' by Alice Cooper, and a few ACDC songs. Just to get him interested. I gave him one earphone, and I took the other. We sat and listened through the songs a few times over, resulting in him, actually singing along to the few lyrics he knew! I remember teaching this type of thing when we were kids, but times had changed since then- for the better?

'So just flick through these, and when you want to add songs to your playlist just do this,' I said, showing him how to make playlists, and listen to different songs. He had quite a wide variety of songs on there now! I looked at him as he flicked through the song lists, and felt a slight momentarily glitch of something I hadn't felt for years. Something I had only felt for one person in the world. Someone who was sat right by me. It had been growing, and I knew it had, but I didn't want to admit it. I hadn't cried since the night I lost him, because I thought I would never see Jack again. But now, for the first time in over ten years, I felt a tear creep down my cheek. Crying for someone in this way was something I had never done, understood or particularly respected. I always considered it weak. It was at this moment I realized how much I had broken, over one man!

'Hey! _Brit,_ what's wrong with you?' his voice snapped me back to reality. I shook myself, saying, 'Mind your own business, _Clown_!'

The movement was swift. He pulled out his knife, pinning me down on the bed, holding it to my cheek. I heard my iPod flying to the corner of the room. Now to show him what I could do!

'Don't be hiding anything from me, _beautiful_!' the blade pressed into my cheek, painfully.

'You don't want to do that, Jack!' I hissed, making him pull the blade away from my face. I took the opportunity! I head butted him in the nose, making him pull his hands to hold his now bleeding feature. I grabbed a knife from one of my pockets, freeing a leg, and pushing him off me to the floor. I took the position he had when attacking me. I held the knife to his face, running the smooth edge along his scars. 'I win!' I breathed, lowering my face down, so close to him, I could feel his heavy breath and smell him thick blood, oozing from his nose. I smiled, pocketing my knife, and standing up. I walked away from him, leaving the room, however pausing at the door frame, exactly where he had been.

'Close the door when you leave would you?' and with that I turned away, heading towards the bar. Ha! I had outwitted the Joker! _**Me**_! _I_ had out_witted_ the _Joker_! He wasn't used to this, especially off a girl! He had never had that with Harley, she would just whine and play along with him, cowering and crying! I could tell this was not over! He would get me back one way or another! In the bar area, I met Harley, messing on with some food supplies we had got while out. I grabbed an apple, and smiled at Harley.

'Where's Mister J?' she asked.

'I've been educating him in music! He didn't know who Guns & Roses were! I mean, how you can live without a bit of Guns & Roses I will never know! Need a hand?'

She nodded, handing me a bag of some random bits of food. We set working for a while until the Joker appeared at the door, with no more blood, but a look of utter madness.

'Where, may I ask, Gwenny, did you learn to do that?' he asked. I laughed.

'You're not used to that are you, J?' Harley stopped in her tracks, looking from me to the Joker, suspicion filling her petite face. Quickly understanding, I added hastily, 'No, it wasn't like that, Harls, he just isn't used to getting beaten by a girl!' Harley still looked confused. I took out the same knife I had threatened J with not too long before hand, saying, 'I'll not be long, going out!' I threw the knife to the door behind J, making him jump again, as it barely missed his wild hair. I turned away from them, to the door to the cellar, stopping as I felt my knife fly past me to the door frame in front. I smirked, dislodging it from the wall, calling, 'Thanks mate!' leaving to the cellar, and out the back door, and leading to the drive where the truck was. Taking a look around, I decided to walk to Gotham city centre. Finding my car wouldn't be easy, getting the keys wouldn't be. Preparing for fireworks, I began my journey to Gotham city centre, for the dear reunion with old Batsy!


	21. Anarchy

_**Helllooo readers! Recently deleted chapter 3 and remodeled chapters 1 and 2, hopefully improving them, and hopefully making it more realistic! So this is chapter 21, just for you! Remember to review, and if you want read the first two new chapters, and review to let me know what you think! Thanks guys!**_

_**~Holls :P**_

Gwen came limping in about five hours after she had left. She came trudging up the cellar stairs into the bar, to find Harley cowering on the floor, the Joker glowering over her with a knife, threatening to cut her up if she didn't behave. At this sight, Gwen felt her heart clench with rage. She knew the way the Joker treated Harley, and the fact that the poor girl still loved him more than anything, which made it even worse.

'You do as I say Harley! Understand?' growled the Joker, making Harley whimper and cry.

'Leave her alone, Clown!'

The Joker turned slowly to face Gwen, head tilted, eyebrows raised, and knife poised, 'And why would I do that, _Brit?_'

Gwen took a pistol from her belt, saying, 'Cos I'll kill you if you don't!'

The Joker burst into hysterics, until he heard the warning shots, emitting from Gwen's gun. Gwen stood gun in the air, still looking at the Joker with a cruel stare which proved she was serious. Deadly serious.

'Oh, you don't think I would? That's nice,' she said sarcastically, pointing the gun at the Joker again. She moved slowly towards him, holding the barrel of the gun against his forehead, 'Leave. Harley. Alone!' she breathed, emphasizing each syllable with such hatred, the Joker actually stepped back. Gwen turned swiftly, and headed for the stairs heading up. Once she reached her room, she slammed the door, barricading it shut with her bed, and sinking to the floor against the wall, beneath the window, tears streaming down her face.

As much as Gwen hated to admit, she missed her old life. She missed Wayne Manor, she missed her job, Commissioner Gordon and his stupid Bat signal, hell, and she even missed the MCU! But she missed her family most. She missed Alfred and Bruce more than she ever thought she would. And for the first time in a while, she cried for her mother and father. What they must think of her now, their daughter a murdering psychopath, described and delusional, deranged, and dangerous. They must be so proud! She wept for what seemed like hours. When she was all cried out, it seemed, she stretched her legs out, and examined the wall opposite. Fiddling with a small knife from one of the holsters in her belt, she dug the tip of the knife into the tip of her finger, without realizing. Small droplets of blood oozed from the cut, dripping between the floorboards. In frustration, she flicked the knife, hurtling it into the wall opposite her. It stuck in the wall, exactly at the point she had been aiming. One point to me! She thought. Slowly, she pulled herself to her feet, and moved towards the bag filled with her things. She rummaged around for a second before finding her makeup bag. Flipping open the small compact mirror, she saw huge, black streaks down her face from her tears mixed with cheap eye makeup. Gwen pulled the bed away from the door, emerging from her room, and hurrying to the bathroom.

'Gwen? Is that you?' came Harley's voice from behind Gwen. She heard Harley coming closer to her and felt her hand on her shoulder. Gwen turned to face Harley, who gasped at the sight of Gwen's face.

'You OK? What'cha been cryin for, honey?'

Gwen smiled, 'Nothing, I'm fine, just been having a bad day, is all!' she shrugged and turned to go to the bathroom, before Harley stopped her again.

'Hey. Thanks. For earlier.' Gwen smiled in reply. Harley continued, 'I know he plays rough, but I know he means well!' somehow Gwen couldn't agree with her! Harley hugged Gwen tightly, and Gwen returned the hug, before Harley descended the stairs to the bar. Gwen pushed open the door to the bathroom. It wasn't actually that bad, sanitary wise. Harley had been in here cleaning already, and she had done a good job of it too! Considering the bathroom wall tiles were chipping off and the mirror was cracking in the corners, it seemed livable and usable. She wiped her smeared makeup off her face and the swirl down her cheek. She looked at her makeup less face for a moment. The last glimpse of her former self, before she died completely. She rubbed her puffy, red eyes, before taking the black eyeliner pencil, and drawing around her eyes so they looked dark and mysterious. She finished her left eye with a wing at the corner, and at the tip of the wing, began forming a large 'Anarchy' symbol just beneath her eye. She added her black lipstick, and took a moment to look at the person in the mirror. Her new self. The face that everyone in Gotham would one day comes to fear! The name everyone knows. Anarchy.


	22. Reality

_**Helllooo! Thoughts on Anarchy? Review with your thoughts on Gotham's newest villainess! This is from Gwen's/Anarchy's point of view! **_

_**Thank You for reading!**_

_**~Holls :P**_

The street was deserted. You couldn't see much: the night's sky as black, and starless. Only the yellow street lights gave us any kind of vision, whether it was poor or not. I lifted my head to the sky, taking a deep breath of the cool night's breeze. The air smelt of gasoline, or it could have been the Joker at my side. His green, matted hair whipped my face, He looked at the harlequin to his right, who was fiddling with the bullets in her berretta gun. He then turned his head to face me on his other side. He smirked, winked at me and said, 'first night on the town! Let's make it a good one! Live up to your name, they gotta remember you, _Anarchy_!'

'I'll try my best!'

Harley giggled, 'We're getting old Batsy out of the cave! I hope he's washed his tights!'

'Harley, grenade,' ordered the Joker, as Harley passed him a grenade from her own belt. He almost skipped forwards, examining the surroundings, before stopping at a small shop with an upstairs flat. He turned to face myself and Harley, pulling the pin, and hurtling it through the window. He strode towards us, calm as anything, as the shop burst into orange flames behind him. It was like the entire street had come to life. There were screams, people opening windows, poking their heads out to see what had happened. Harley burst into hysterics, jumping up and down in excitement. I just smirked, and shook my head.

'Not bad, Clown, not bad. Let's add a bit of fuel to the fire, shall we?' I then passed the Joker, straight towards a rusty, old, silver car, looking up to the building it was parked outside, to see a man with his head hanging out the window, shouting at me. I blew him a kiss, before pulling a pin on my own grenade, walking away, and throwing it over my shoulder, as it landed beneath the car, blowing it sky high!

The Joker and Harley applauded, as I took a bow, laughing. Harley's turn! She took out other matching gun, in her other hand holding them high, and firing at the windows. There were screams and cries all around them! The Joker followed suit, and I took out a black spray paint can! Let's get to work!

Harley and the Joker fired shots, while I sprayed my symbol on shop doors, and cars- that weren't in flames! I came to one house, where a beefy looking man came out, shouting , 'you crazy bitch! What the Hell are you doing? I'll rip you're head off!' he advanced on me, but I was too quick. I dodge a swing at my face, knocking his balance, pinning him to the ground. I held his arms to the floor with my knees, holding his head steady with one hand, and a knife poised in the other. 'Who are you?' he stuttered.

'I am Anarchy!' I breathed, with hatred strong in my voice. I took the knife to just under his eye, and, in the same place my Anarchy symbol was on my face, carved one deep into his. He screamed in pain, and when my work was done, I brought the knife to his throat and he breathed no more.

I stood up, kicking his body aside, before pulling another pin from a grenade, hurtling it into the open door of his house. It burst into flames, just when we heard the sirens. Excellent!

I ran to the Joker, who had blown up another building, who started towards the truck. I whistled to Harley, who was firing more and more shots, as the cop cars appeared at the end of the street. Harley hadn't heard me. I ran towards her, pulling her arm for her to come. The Joker pulled up beside us in the truck and I helped Harley into the passenger's seat.

'Stop! Or we will shoot!' yelled a voice from behind me me, as I pulled a gun from my belt, and shot randomly at the cop. I missed him, but he hit my shoulder. I doubled back, and shot again, this time hitting him in the chest. He fell, and I felt Harley's hands pulling me into the truck. She shut the door, and we sped off. There were bullets fired at the truck, but it didn't do them any good! I felt the place the bullet had entered my shoulder, revealing it dripping with blood. Pain seared through my body. I winced, making Harley and the Joker both turn their heads to stare at me.

'What's up?' asked Harley, then noticing my shoulder, 'Ohh, that's nasty! You ok?'

I nodded vigorously, 'Yeah, I'm fine,' then noticing the Joker still staring at me, I shouted, 'Watch the road!'

I lowered the neckline of my suit over my shoulder, to see the bullet lodged in the bone. It was so painful. It was sticking out, so, slowly, and gently, I took it and pulled it out, making it hurt even more. I winced again, holding the bullet in the palm of my hand, bloodstained. I put it in a belt pocket, and pressed my hand over the wound, to stem the blood flow.

'They're still on us, Mister J!' Harley's voice snapped me back to reality.

'I got it!' I said, climbing through the window into the back of the truck.

'Pass the bazooka,' I said through the window. Harley looked at me questioningly, 'Now! It's on the floor.' She passed it through, and I loaded it. I slid the huge door in the side of the truck open, and took aim at the nearest police car, firing. It burst into flames, toppling the car on its side, causing the cars behind to crash into it. I fell back, to find Harley, who took the bazooka, saying, 'I'll do it, you get in the front!' I nodded, and stumbled over to the window, shakily climbing back through it, slumping into the seat next to the Joker.

'You ok?' he asked, glancing at me.

'Yeah, I'm fine. Good thing that cop had bad aim!' I replied, rubbing my shoulder.

'Don't know how, you're head's that big you can't miss it!' he smirked. I smiled, remembering, and laughed at him.

There were sounds of gun shots and explosions behind us. Harley's enjoying herself, I'm guessing! We turned a corner, to meet a black shadow at the end of the street under a street lamp. Too small to be a car, and too big to be a man. Understanding almost instantly, I felt dread fill me to the core.

'Now there's a Batman!' the Joker's voice confirmed my fears. I felt the truck accelerate.

'Jack, don't it him!' I heard myself say. The Joker stared at me , clearly concerned, bewildered and confused. To be honest I felt the same! Was it because I called him Jack, because of the tone of my voice, the request, I don't know, but something again snapped inside me. Maybe it was the loss of blood talking, or what, but it was like a strange sense of reality crashed over me, making my head spin! I'd found my fear, and it wasn't the Bat, or the Clown. It was eating me alive, and I couldn't take it!


	23. Choices

**_Hi guys, nearly finished the story! Whoo! I hope you liked reading! I really enjoyed writing! Remember to review your thoughts! And thank you so much for reading! This one's for all of you!_**

**_~Holls :P_**

How could I stop him, what could I do? I promised myself years ago I wouldn't let anything happen to Bruce, no matter what, and what I had become, changed nothing. I held the gun to the Joker's head, 'Don't you dare!' he turned to look at me, and laughed. I clicked off the safety, warningly, 'You touch him, and I swear-'

'What? Why do you care so much about the Bat? What's he got on you, _Brit_?' demanded the Joker. I hesitated, before pressing the gun harder on his head, 'Kill him, and I'll blow your brains out!'

A moments pause before, the Joker sighed, and swerved at the last minute, avoiding the Bt, and crashing into a lamppost, knocking it over, and stopping the truck. I lowered the gun, watching the Joker closely.

'What the Hell is wrong with you? You can kill people you don't know, but when it's the _Bat_? You told me, _Anarchy_, you wanted to see his rotting corpse at the bottom of the river!' he said, fuming, emphasizing the word 'Anarchy'. I ignored him, getting out of the truck, standing in the middle of the street, opposite the Bat, who had lost the bike, and now stood watching me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I knew he knew who I was, and I knew it broke him. I slowly moved towards him.

'I'm kept my promise! I won't let him kill you! I won't let anyone! Don't ask me why!' I called to him, sill walking forwards.

'I know why. I know exactly how you are! You don't want this! You thought you did, but it kills you!' he growled. I stopped about three feet away from him, and laughed.

'Kills,' I sighed, 'I died a long time ago. You've got nothing to threaten me with now!'

I heard the Joker behind me, flicking his knife, saying, 'Oh, the old familiar places! Miss me Bats?' he laughed. I felt him stop beside me, and I wished him never to leave.

'Gwen, you don't need this,' Bruce addressed me. Making the Joker cock his head, and looked from me to the Batman.

'You don't need to tell her what she, _er_, does and doesn't need! Don't you worry, little Bat! I'm taking good care of our Gwenny!'

'She is not your property! She makes her own choices,' said Batman, his raspy voice, sounding harsh, angry- frightening!

The Joker grinned, 'Oooo, look here, _Anarchy_, I think Batsy's got the hots for you!' he nudged me, cackling. I looked away from them both, my head pounding.

'Gwen,' came Batman's voice, somewhat soothing, but like needles, 'come home!'

The Joker's cackles died away. He looked from me to the Bat, with an expression I couldn't read. Annoyance, glee, confusion, jealousy…hurt?

'_Oooo,_ you do have the _hot_s for her, Don'tcha _Bats?!_ When did this start, _mm_? How long have you been doing-'

'SHUT UP, CLOWN!' I screamed at him. The Bat and the clown both turned and stared at me. My head was pounding, screaming at me! A part of me screamed, 'shoot the Bat, run away with the Joker!' Another part wished for me to go back to what I knew with Bruce, with money, luxury, family…but without the Joker.

'Both of you just shut up! Neither of you have a clue, so just SHUT UP!' I completely lost it. I loved the Joker. Yes, I admit it; I am completely in love with that psychotic murderer! I have the chance to stay with him. Be with him forever! Causing chaos, wreaking havoc through this dump of a city. He was right! I enjoyed it. This night had been the biggest rush I had had in nearly all my life! Me and him! Partners in beautiful Anarchy! But it wasn't just me and him…

I also love Bruce, but because he's family. He was like my brother. He didn't dump me in the loony bin because he meant to hurt me; he did it with my best intentions. I just didn't realize it. I had a chance, to go back to him, to live with him in his palace, the palace I grew up in, with the boy I grew up with. But both lives had one huge flaw in each. I lost the other…

Bruce moved towards me, slowly, saying, 'Please, Gwen.' He took my hand gently, but I whipped it away from his grasp. The Joker smirked, looking at Batman, sticking his tongue out, and put his arm around me, but I wriggled away from him. They looked at me in confusion.

'What's up with you, Brit?' voiced the Joker. I'd had enough!

'What's wrong with me? _Mmmm_, I don't know, what is wrong with me? Do you know?' I looked to Bruce, 'bet you didn't know I haven't told the clown who you are!'

'Wait, what?' I looked to the Joker, whose look of confusion angered me even more!

'And you! You're completely clueless! If you ain't guessed by now who the Bat is, you'll never know!' I shouted in his face. He didn't retort, he didn't threaten me, in fact he didn't say anything; he just backed away from me. I turned away from them, tears threatening to surface.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, knowing immediately who it was, whispered, 'Bruce, I don't know what to do!'

'I know you love him, Gwen, but he's dangerous! You can't get involved with someone like this! You need to come home where you're safe!'

I chuckled under my breath, slowly growing into a cruel laugh, 'what, so you can do the same to me as before? That I exactly what you said to me last time! You said I needed to be safe, implying I couldn't take care of myself! But look around, Bruce! See what I did in, what, and hour? And I got such a thrill!' I cried.

The Joker came up behind me, grinning, maliciously, 'Ahh, Bruce Wayne! It's been so long!'

'Oh, get over it, Jack!' I moaned, as he giggled, hysterically.

'Who knew, that the scrawny little momma's boy would become the winged vigilante! Mommy, and daddy would be so proud!' he burst into hysterics, as Bruce/Batman (God, what do you call the man with two lives?!) lifted him by his trench coat lapels, roughly, growling, 'You're going back to a padded cell and straightjackets, Clown!'

'I'm afraid that's not going to happen, Bruce!' I said, taking out a gun, and holding it to his head. Slowly, he let the Joker down, turning to face me. I held the gun steady.

'You wouldn't,' he said. I laughed harshly, holding the gun high, firing two warning shots, and resuming its original position. That's when I realized something was wrong. Breathing became harder, my legs growing weaker, my head spinning. I looked to the place the bullet had pierced my skin, to find my skin, suit and a lot of my hair drenched in my blood. How much blood had I lost? I lowered the gun slowly, smiling eerily, as the Joker came up behind me. I vaguely heard his voice saying something, but I never caught it. I turned to face him, and seeing his, uh, 'smiling' face, before collapsing into his arms, and everything turning black.


	24. Snow

It had been months since I'd seen him. Well, I'd seen him plenty on the news, but, in the flesh, I hadn't seen my little cousin for a long time. J would often bring news of him, after trudging in, bloody and bruised, or me to ix him. Harley had disappeared. Got caught and sent back to the loony bin a few weeks ago. Since then, J and I would never stay anywhere for too long. It was sometimes just hiding in old warehouses. We'd discussed some forms of escape plans to break Harley out, but to be honest, I think J was relieved to be shot of her. However, with her absence, it didn't mean J and I was alone. There was never a shortage of henchmen; handpicked by J. They were always in and out of the place. Some spoke to me, but I mostly stayed out the way of them. Once or twice, I entered a room to find one of them lying in a pool of their own blood, or their faces carved up like J's, with him standing above them, wiping his switchblade with such an air of normality about it, it was scary, but funny at the same time. I was used to this now.

I was sat on the window ledge of the small, dimly lit bedroom, in a run down old house, situated on the outskirts of the narrows, looking over the river into Gotham city. The city was covered with a thick layer of pearly white snow, the dark night sky, shining, and the city lights gleaming. I hadn't been out in the real world, as myself, since that night. I had cut the purple bits out of my hair, leaving it a faded black colour. I had abandoned my suit, for normal clothes (mainly consisting of skinny jeans, converse and oversized, woolen jumpers), and spent most of my time messing on with knives and guns, scouring the news reports, listening to music, and generally, just getting on with life. If I wanted to go out, I would be unrecognizable to anyone who knew me. The last time they actually saw me, was when I was Gwenivere Wayne. I had forgotten Anarchy, and now, I was just an empty shell.

I sat there, watching the snow falling, and the stars gleaming, when J came slumping in. he had a bloody nose, and a look of utmost annoyance and anger. I turned my head to face him, as he flopped onto the bed, sighing, and muttering to himself.

'You know, you keep getting your nose broken, it'll not last long.' I said, moving into the small, smelly en-suite bathroom, running a cloth under the tap, and wringing it out, as to begin fixing up the Jokers beaten face. I came back into the bedroom, and recovered the first aid kit I kept in the bedside table drawers, and sitting beside J. he sat up, and I started to wipe away his smudged and smeared makeup.

'What was it this time?' I asked, as I cleaned his face, revealing the man behind the mask.

'Who d'ya think?' he snapped.

'My little cousin in spandex hasn't been out of the cave. The new guy?' I asked, dabbing at the bloody mess around J's nose. He snorted in response.

'What does this guy want?' I wondered, 'what's his name again?'

'Calls himself Bane. Thinks he's great!' he snorted again, as I moved to stitch the fresh gashes in his arms.

'What I don't get is why he isn't in the papers, or on the news. I'd never even heard of him before you told me,' I said, cleaning and sterilizing the wounds.

'_He'_s not a problem to everyone _else_. Just in the Narrows. The, _er,_ cops, they don't care about the Narrows problems,' the Joker explained.

'What do you think?' I voiced, stitching up the cuts, and facing his clear, relatively normal face. His expression was unreadable, as he replied, 'I think you should come back out.'

I sighed, 'J, you know I don't want to. I'm better off left alone,' I looked away from him, and finished stitching him up. Completely out of the blue, he took a strand of my hair between his fingers and played with it, as I put away the first aid kit. I looked up at him, and he just stared back. He didn't look right without his makeup. He dropped my hair, and lowered the neckline of my jumper over the shoulder with the bullet wound, and ran his index finger over the scar where the bullet had been ripped out of the bone. I winced slightly at the stinging, and he stopped. His face was inches from mine, his warm breath tickling my cool skin, sending shivers down my spine. He slowly leaned in closer to my face, and, rather hastily, he pressed his lips against mine. The moment was so brief, but precious, as, without warning, a knock came on the door. We pulled away quickly, my face burning, as he yelled, 'What? I'm kinda busy!'

The voice was timid from behind the door, even though it was deep, and throaty, 'Er, Boss, you'd better come see this!' the Joker rose, and sighed, 'Well, dearie, I must leave you! Daddy's got some, _er_, work to do!'

He turned his back to me, and entering the bathroom, found a fresh set of face paints. He lathered t on, creating his trademark clown face, and, coming back to find me unmoving, bowed, and left the room. I let out a deep breath, and jumping from my position, followed hi quickly out the door. I was completely unsure of what had just happened. There I was, stitching him up, then he comes out with a request for my comeback, then, out of the blue, he starts snogging me! Deciding I would worry about that random outburst later, and, finding a congregation of the Joker's henchmen, and the Joker himself, in the living room, I plonked myself on the couch- only to find a vaguely familiar dead body lying on the coffee table in front of me. Across his forehead, were the words, 'I'm watching you, clown!'

'God, who's that sorry soul?' I voiced, as the henchmen looked at me, questioningly (the Joker avoiding my eyes altogether).

'Boss, we found him in our trash cans outside the house,' said one of the men, who was tall, muscular, and had a face rather resembling a pug. The Joker was now pacing, running his gloved hands through his green, matted hair, deep in thought.

'He's one of us, Boss. 'Im and Leroy went out last night, bu' only he made it back. We don't have a clue where Leroy is!'

The Joker was still pacing. The tension in the room was thick, reeking with anxiety, with every soul hardly daring to draw breath. You could almost hear the sweat dripping from each man's brow. I sat, hugging my knees on the couch, staring at the dead man. His face was unrecognizable. Almost every inch of his copper skin was slashed and cut, oozing with scarlet blood. His mouth lolling open, and eyes, blank and staring straight at me, made me uneasy. The face was a one I vaguely recognized. Only that week before, I had spoken to him in the kitchen.

I rose from the couch, saying, 'I'm going out.' And turning swiftly to the door. I removed my large, tan coat from the hanger, and left the house.

The thick snow crunched beneath my feet. I lifted my head to the sky, feeling the cool fall of snow, tickling my skin, and covering my hair. I pulled my hood over my head, and began walking. The streets were deserted, however better than the deadly silence back at the house. With the pacing and the stench of fear…and the body…

My head was spinning. The sight of the bloody corpse on the table completely drove the Joker from my mind. He had kissed me. He had kissed me, hadn't he? Or was that me imagining it? I mean, I haven't exactly been right in the head lately.

But it felt so real. It was so brief, so rushed, but real. I smiled to myself, and was thankful I was alone. He messed me up once before for something like this, and I could not go through it again. That's why I gave up Anarchy. There was a night I really enjoyed. Got such a rush from. Until Bruce arrived, and I got shot, everything was great. But since then, when I broke down in front of them both, I haven't been myself. It wasn't like me to get nervous at the sight of a dead body, to be nervous around people… what the hell is wrong with me now?

I was pulled away from my thoughts, when the sound of footsteps, other than my own, came from behind me. I turned my head slightly, to see a silhouette of a man a little way from me. I quickened my pace, and felt around in my pocket for the revolver I never removed from my side. I held it close in my pocket, as I turned a corner- only to be stopped by a tall, muscley man, with dark skin, and a very mean face. He stared me down, with a menacing gleam in his cold, grey eyes. I spun around, only to find the other man standing right behind me, blocking my escape. My heart was pounding.

'Look what we got here!' said the smaller of the men. The dark skinned man chuckled.

'What do you want?' I ordered, keeping my voice steady, feeling for the trigger of my gun, still in my pocket. I felt hands on my shoulders, and I spun around again to face the taller of the two men. I shook him of, backing away, only to crash into the smaller of the men. He grabbed my arms, and said, 'You're coming with us, the Boss wants a little word with you!' realization came over me, and I vaguely recognized the men.

'Oh, if the Joker wants to speak to me, he can come find me himself!' I said, stepping away from the men.

They laughed, harshly; 'no, no we don't work for that crazy psychopath!' said the dark skinned man. I froze. If it wasn't J, then who was it, and what did they want with me?

'Then who is it?' I asked, nervously. The smaller of the two grinned at me, replying, in a tone full of malice and hate, it was scary, 'You'll see.' This freaked me out completely, I too out my gun and pointed it at them. They didn't move.

I backed away slowly from them, still pointing the gun. When they didn't move, I turned quickly to run, but was stopped again, by a huge bear of a man, with a sort of gas mask covering most of his face, leaving only his beady black eyes visible, bearing down into mine, making me drop my gun and back away, yet again, from another threat.

'I have some need of you, Gwenevire ' He had my accent. His voice echoing all around, it seemed. Ghostly. I didn't like it.

'What if I say no?' I stuttered. He laughed a haughty, eerie laugh. That was when I felt their arms around my neck. I couldn't breathe, my head spinning, my heart pounding! I felt the ground falling beneath my feet, and everything was black.


	25. Dead Revenge

_**Hello you horrible lot! Just kidding you're not horrible! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, been really busy! So here it is! Enjoy **_

_**Holls :P**_

She'd been gone for a while now. At least a few days. He was starting to worry. The Joker was pacing the small bedroom, where she and he used to accommodate. Where she used to be, and her presence would act as a comfort to him- although he would never admit that. His thoughts frantic, running a bare hand through his faded hair. She should be back, here with him, next to him, with a bottle of green hair dye, the exact shade he needed, although he had never asked her. She just seemed to always know. Maybe she'd bring back some fresh makeup for him- if it deemed necessary. He stared at the floor for a moment before darting to the window. He peered out at the thick snowfall, watching, eager to see her footprints leading to the door, her small figure smiling up at him, maybe even waving. But nothing. Just the cold, emptiness of the white street. He grunted in frustration to himself, resuming his pacing, and hair messing. He had a bomb, primed and ready, the whole city on red alert, searching frantically for this bomb. Where would it be, nobody knows, when it goes off…

It all depended on the Joker, and when he would activate the detonator. Any possible moment now. But all he could think of was where Gwen had disappeared to.

There was a small knock on the door. The Joker ignored it.

'Boss?' again the Joker ignored the noise. 'Sir?'

'WHAT?!' the Joker yelled at the closed door.

After a moment of utter silence, 'Boss, you better come see this.'

The voice was deep, yet timid, and it was clear, something was wrong. The Joker, fuming, burst through the door, storming past the terrified henchman, and made his way down stairs, and into the main room of the house. There were a few people gathered around the coffee table, in front of the sofa. Each one, it seemed, looked as though they were on their way to the gallows.

Her body lay stiff and unmoving on the table, dripping in blood, oozing from the gashes obscuring her face. Her black hair was matted, and there were small patches where it seemed to have been ripped from her scalp. Her fingernails were chipped and bloody, and her arms, legs, and pretty much her whole body covered in swollen, purple bruises. As the message sunk in, the Joker's deep, growl of a voice was heard, 'Get out.' His henchmen needed no repeat of the command. They hastily left the room, closing the door behind them.

Nothing but the dull sound of a car passing the street, or the odd bird could be distinguished in the deafening silence. The Joker ran his sweaty hands through her cold hair, playing with the ends for a moment. His face expressionless, and mind blank, he knelt by her body. They would pay. The evil bastards who did this to Gwenivere Everdeen would pay dearly for what they did.

The Joker stared for a moment at the side of her head, at her unrecognizable face, before a note of confusion hit him. He tilted his head, examining the ear of the body. An earring…her hearing at the top of her ear. She never took the thing out. The exact same thing he watched pierce her ear years back. He went with her that day, and remembered distinctly, the small, shiny red crystal-diamond thing, he picked out for her birthday. He examined the girl's ear-both of them-and not one piercing…

He rose hastily, resuming his frantic pacing, a new found gleam in his eyes. He looked down once more at the stranger- the imposter- before him, laughing, cackling! This was not Gwen. A sense of relief washed over him, however being suddenly replaced by rage. If this wasn't Gwen, then where was she? Who would go to so much effort to convince him this was his Gwen…and why? This meant someone had her. Not Arkham (even t_hey_ wouldn't stoop to this level!). the cops wouldn't dare…Batsy didn't have the guts!

One thing he was dead sure about. The Joker would not rest, until he had found Gwen safe and sound, and made the one who did this to her pay dearly for the day they were born. As this thought crossed his mind, The Joker grinned maliciously. Revenge time.


	26. Dignity

There was an immense throbbing in my temple when I came to. My eyes stung, and my body heavy. I squinted at the ceiling, which was moldy and chipped. I sat up slowly, and groggily, trying to get my bearings straight. I was in a room. It had no windows, and a set of stairs leading up to a steel door. The walls were a dull grey stone, matching the floor, which was stroon with old newspapers, and food packets. The only light in this, what seemed to be a cellar, came from a light bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling, and a dusty desk lamp on the small table by the bed.

Yep, I was sure, it's an old cellar. There were huge barrels in one corner, on their sides, like you see in an old murder mystery.

I rubbed my head, trying to remember how I got there. I noticed what I wore. I had a strappy top, and some strange shorts, that fitted only just, but felt wrong…they weren't mine…I never wore shorts. My converses were gone, and there was nothing on my feet or legs. It was then I noticed the cold of the room. I noticed my hands, legs and arms…bloody. Why? I tenderly felt my cheek, wincing in the immediate, sharp pain, the moment my fingers brushed the skin. I tasted blood on my lips, and it hurt to blink. Why was I like this? I remembered nothing…wait…small bits came back to me. The snow…the cold tickling my warm skin. The men… that mask…the voice!

It all suddenly came flooding back to me.

I felt their fists all at once, I felt their cruelty and malice all at once, and all at once I relived the screaming in my head, the immense agony, fear and hatred, all for these few men.

Jack never treated me like that. He beat me, but I beat him back, and all the same, I knew what he really felt. He never did what these men dared do to me. Jack never…

I rose to my feet, shakily, feeling the cold stone like knives under my bare feet. I stumbled to the stairs, climbing them, and juttering the door handle. Locked. What did I expect?!

I turned to face the small bed I had been a moment before. I felt sick. I stared wildly around, looking for something, anything to cling to, to just disappear into. I felt my heart pounding, so fast and so hard I thought it would burst. Hot tears stung my eyes even more, as they threatened to surface. I fell on the stairs, slumping against the steps, clutching my arms, huddling into myself, tears streaming down my face. I held myself so tightly it hurt like mad. But it brought me some small comfort. I thought of Jack. Of what he'd be doing now. How long I had been gone. If he was searching for me. He was my only chance of escape from here, and my only hope at all left in my heart.

But what if he wasn't coming? What if he didn't care…or even notice my disappearance. Or if he knew, and he must saw my absence as inferior to his other plans. I couldn't rely on him. I had to find my own way out; even if he did come, I would need a backup…I had to get out of here, and fast.

I rose to my feet, slowly. I saw the huge wine barrels, not expecting anything in them, but trying one anyway. This strange, gloopy green substance oozed from the tap. It smelt metallic, and was sticky. I wiped it on 'my' shorts, rising, and moving around the room, examining the News Articles stroon the floor. This one had Jonathon Crane's face on it, smiling, eerily at me, the headline reading: AKHAM DOCTOR BECOMES HIS PATIENTS NEIGHBOUR!

Another had Poison Ivy, another Clayface. I stopped when I saw his face. The headline: MASS BREAKOUT AT ARKHAM ASYLUM, LEAD BY THE JOKER, Harley QUINN, AND EX-COP-GWENIVERE WAYNE. I saw His and Harley's mug shots, along with so many others, but the image of me was cropped down one of Bruce and me on his 25th birthday. I looked so different.

I wiped my eyes, rising again, and dropping the newspaper clipping, not bothering to read it. I had done so many times. I went to make my way to the bed, but slipped on a clipping. I cried out as I fell, causing some movement behind the door. Crap!

I hurried to the bed, falling on it, and quickly imitating sleep, as the lock turned in the keyhole, and the door squeaked open. I faced the wall, so I could only hear where the figure was. Footsteps grew closer to me. I tried to steady my breathing. I could feel their eyes on me. A small chuckle.

'You'd better be awake soon, little lady! The boss wants to see you, and he don't like to be kept waiting! Especially for someone as pretty as you!' he sniggered. I felt his hands on my skin, and something in me snapped. I hit him square in the nose, swinging my arm over my head, so quickly, it startled him. The man stumbled back, as I rose from the bed, and advanced on him. I kneed him in the crotch, making him cry out. He was bent over. I grabbed the back of his head and brought his forehead smashing down to my bare knee. He fell to the ground, almost unconscious. I felt wiped out, and weak, but I held my ground as I knelt be his head, and snarled, 'you don't get off lightly,' and with that, I grabbed the pillow, and wrapped it around his face, preventing his breath. He struggled, but I held its position. He slowed down, and eventually fell still. I moved the pillow and spat by his face. I saw a gun in his pant pocket. I took it, checked ammo, and smiled. Unlocked door, loaded gun, escape time. I shut the door, and changed into the mans clothes. It was lucky he was my height, and, even though his clothes were baggy, they fit. I took his cap, wrapped my hair up and id it under it. So basically, I stripped the guy to his boxers, disguised myself as him, armed myself, and left his body locked in the cellar, with no keys for them to get back in there. Seemed like a good enough plan. I was ready. I kept my head down as I made my way through the corridors. There were a few other men in the corridors, who didn't give me a second look. The building seemed to be like a set of apartments. There were loads of rooms, with numbers on them, some with keep out signs, some with death threats, and some with no doors at all. Others were just left alone.

I past one door, with its hinges hanging off. I edged towards it, and glanced in. The walls were all bloody, and so were the floors. In the corner, I could just notice a body, gutted and bloody, and dead as a door nail

'Are you stupid, you're not supposed to look in the rooms without his permission,' came a sharp voice from behind me. It was broad and unfriendly. I nodded, and bowed my head. He grunted and left. I carried on down the hall, taking care to avoid the open doors. One I even heard screaming emitting from. At the end of the hall, however, I heard small sobs coming from a room numbered 112. I listened closely at the door, and heard a man's voice, crying softly. I hesitated, and knocked quietly on the door. It was slightly ajar. I pushed it open carefully, and edged inside. The room was like an old abandoned hotel room. You could see the peeling wallpaper, and messy floors. There were stains of blood splattered all over, and again, old newspaper clippings. There in the corner, I spotted him. He looked around in his early twenties, barley out of puberty, with a black hoodie, and matted baggy jeans. He had blonde spiky hair, and a kind face, stained with blood and tears. He looked like he had just been beaten up-badly.

'Are you okay?' I asked, moving towards him slowly, kneeling down to his level. He looked up at me. His blue eyes studied my face, and said, 'who are you?'

I hesitated…'a friend. I won't hurt you, I promise. Who did this to you?' he watched me closely. I could see he was studying my answer, working it over in his head.

'Why won't you tell me your name?' he asked, suspiciously.

'I don't matter, what matters is how you got in this state. Who did this to you?' I pushed.

'Why do you care? I don't even know you!' he looked away from me.

'Because whoever did this to you probably did this to me, and I want to make sure I pound the sick creep into the ground.' He looked at me. I stood up, and moved my face under the light so he could see what I felt. He took a deep breath.

'Who are you?' in answer I took off the cap, letting my hair loose.

'Were you from downstairs?' he asked, nervously.

'How did you know that?' I questioned.

His face turned solemn, 'I heard you screaming.'

I didn't reply. I just held out my hand for him to take. He did, after a pause, and I pulled him to his feet. He pulled up his hood, and I hid my hair under the cap again.

'We need to get out of here. I have business I need to sort out before I go. I'll help you escape, but I will not leave without doing this. You can leave now or come with me?'

He paused. Then, 'You're nice. I trust you, even though I don't even know your name. I'll come with you. And my name's Luke. You don't have to tell me your name.'

I smiled, and turned to the door. There was no one in the hall, so we just snuck down back down the hall, keeping our heads down. There came a split. Left or right. There were deep voices come from the right hall, so I carefully tiptoed down the hall, finding the door, and pressing my ear against it, with Luke keeping close watch.

'She has useful information. About the one rival we have. We take her down, he'll fall with her, and they will both be under our control. We showed her what we can do, as a warning. A statement, she won't forget in a long time. Soon enough, Gwenivere will be our key to destroying the clown.' The voice was almost machine like, eerie, and echoing. Bane. I knew instantly who he meant. He wanted to use me to get to Jack.

'I-I-I know sire, and it's a brilliant plan, don't get me wrong, but…wouldn't it be better, if we just k-k-killed her now, and send the Joker the real body?' this was a more timid voice, clearly a mans, however. The real body?

'No, she is key. Once she wakes, she will be more than willing to give us all the information we need on the Joker. Or we'll take further action to ensure she knows her place, and ours.'

I leaned against the wall, drinking in the words I'd just heard. Why did he want Jack? And what did he mean by 'The Real Body?' my clothes, I remembered were different when I woke. Everything I had had was gone.

If they'd sent a body to Jack with my clothes, and most likely same hair, he would think I was dead. And he wouldn't be coming for me. I suddenly felt so alone, so abandoned, and so lost. The voices had stopped now. I heard a terrifying snap, and a thump. Instantly, I realized, and instantly, I knew we had to get out of here, we had to run. Before I could say anything, the door swung open, and the masked man loomed over the both of us. He saw me, and then looked at Luke. He stepped towards him, and in a flash, twisted his neck, and Luke's lifeless body hit the ground. 'No!' I cried, as Bane turned towards me again.

'Such a nice surprise, Gwenevire's! Did you enjoy your first week here?' his was the echo, eerie voice that sent chills down my back. This made me angry.

'You're sick!' I snarled.

'Now now, don't be like that!' he chuckled.

'I don't know what you're laughing at; I would never tell you anything. So why don't you just kill me now?' I jeered.

'Oh, I will in time! You'll be begging for death before I'm through with you. An once you can stand it no longer, you will spill everything you know about your dear clown, and the Bat, and only then, do you have my permission to die!' he advanced on me, stepping over Luke's body. I backed away, but he was too quick. He took the side of my face with the back of his huge hand, and I fell to the ground. I was in agonizing pain, before he hit my face again, and kicked my side with such terrible force. He pulled me up, and dragged me into the room he had just been in, where I was greeted by a dead man with grey hair and glasses. He dropped me, and hit me again. Hit after Kick. Finally, he left me, crying softly to myself, and in agony. I found my voice.

'That all you got? You Coward!' I immediately regretted it. He pulled me up, threw me hard on the ground, and was ready to stamp into my side, with his huge boots, when gunshots were heard. Close too. Downstairs? Along the corridor? Coming closer. I wasn't sure. I was losing consciousness, as I watched Bane leave the room. My mind slowed. My eyes fluttering open and closed, losing focus. I only just saw the lash of purple, his white face, and then black.


	27. Memories

**_S'UP DUDES! I'M SORRY I HAVE BEEN AWAY FOR AGGGEEESSS! I'VE HAD MY MOCKS ALL WEEK AND I'VE BEEN REVISING AND ALL THIS RUBBISH GOING ON...SO HERE IT IS! :) STAY AWESOME BROS, AND READ ON ~ Holls 3  
I would like to dedicate this chapter to the amazing person who left the last review, who's name I don't know, because they're a Guest, but they really gave me the drive to make the time I'm short of, to update this story and continue it _********_ Thanks Dude 3_**

She'd been unconscious for a long while now... at least it felt that way. He had watched over her for so long, completely forgetting about the guys he had tied up, slowly bleeding to death in the kitchen. Cause The Joker was all about hygiene!  
There was a layer of slush on the ground outside the dirt ridden window of the old apartment. They had changed locations since they found Gwen. Still in the Narrows, but away on the other side of the place.

This apartment was meant only for the Joker and Gwen, and any unlucky guys he had picked up from the place Gwen was. He tortured them, and left them almost dead. It was Gwen who needed to get her revenge, more than him. He trusted no one but her, and wouldst even let his goons know the whereabouts of this place. He took so many precautions making sure Gwen was never taken from him again. He'd lost it when he lost her the first time, and when he thought she was dead...he couldn't be dealing with that again. She had become, he now saw, more than just his toy he could always come back to, and it would always be there. She was broken, and precious, and needed fixing. And he would be the only one to do it.

It was really early in the morning. About 2:45, and it was dark outside. He'd fallen asleep, resting his makeup smeared face on his arms, on the bed, where Gwen lay. Her wound had been cleaned by the Joker but he hadn't bandaged anything or even put a plaster on her torn skin. A bird hooted outside faintly, but all the same, The Joker woke. He glanced at his watch, and then at Gwen, who was still sleeping. He moved a strand of hair from her face, and said, 'You know, I don't get scared by anything or anyone, Brit! But you sure scared me. I thought I'd lost ya! Even now! I now what they did to ya, and I know, you'll never _be _the same. I don't know what I'd do without'cha Brit! Don't you worry, I've, _er_, kept all your stuff together! And I've brought it here, so when you're up, you can, _er_, you know. You've turned a bit sloppy, you know Brit! I am completely out of green dye, and, _uh_, I haven't had any new tubs of it lately! I'm starting to look almost normal because of you!'  
She stirred a little, but didn't wake. J sighed. He looked out the window a second, and then turned his gaze back to Gwen, 'Hey, do you remember, _uh_, I think about 12 years ago now, when you fell down that gorge and broke your leg? You passed out then too, when you smashed your head of the rock. I sat with you then too, until the old guy you hitched with came for you! You weren't gone for this long though. You woke up in the hospital, and I was at your side then too. I'll be here when you wake, I promise. I mean, you don't know this place do you? If I wasn't here when you came round… that would be awkward I guess.'

He sat there in silence for a while, just watching her breathing. This was a really surreal moment for the Clown Prince of Crime. This momentary stretch of silence and peace, and serenity, watching someone sleep…  
This was broken however by his sudden urge to pee. 'I'll be back in a second Gwen, ok? Don't go anywhere... I'd stay with you for the next, like two minutes, but needs must, dear! I'll leave the door open, so if you do wake up, I'll hear you, ok?' with that he pushed open the bathroom door in the corner. The room was almost completely silent now. It was a shame it was this exact moment, and a bit too coincidental that Gwen stirred, and this time, lifted her head slightly. There was an immense ringing in her head. To her, the room was a blurry mess, of guns and knives on the small table by an open door.

'Where am I?' she thought, rubbing her head, wincing at the pain of the gash in her temple. 'Great' she muttered. She flopped her head on the pillow, and tried to regain what little sanity remained. She remembered a cellar, with papers and huge barrels. She killed someone there too, she thought. The man, Luke, his dead body beneath her feet….the Mask…The voice…The memories flooded back, making Gwen sit bolt upright, stumble, and topple off the bed, with a loud thud. Her legs were numb, and her arms weak, but all the same she tried to pull herself up, but slipping again.

'Whoa, Gwen, calm down, it's ok, I'm here, don't worry,' his arms lifted her up, and helped her sit on the bed. She looked up into his face. Her mind took a moment to process the makeup, the scars, the tatty, faded green hair, the deep brown eyes, and she saw her Joker. The sight of his face made tears creep to the surface of her eyes, and she couldn't fight it. She burst into hot tears, and fell into his strong embrace. He held her close to his chest, stroking her hair, as she sobbed into his shirt.  
Hey, it's ok, I'm here, and they won't ever get you again, I promise,' he said, softly, as Gwen calmed slightly.  
'It was horrible, J, I thought I was going to die!' she stuttered. J pulled her in again, tighter, and said, 'I'll protect you, ok?'  
'I thought I'd never see you again! I thought you weren't coming! They said they sent you a body, and I thought you'd think I was dead! I was so scared, J! I'd be dead without you! I love you J, I'm so sorry!' she broke into another round of sobs, and buried her head into J's shoulder again. He heard her say it, and acknowledged it, by kissing her forehead, and holding her closer again. He realised it wasn't coincidence why she was here with him still after all these years, and why it always came round to her.  
He held her face straight and said, 'why don't you go, and, uh, get a shower or something? Make you feel better?' Gwen nodded, an, with the help of J, stood up. He helped her into the bathroom, and got her bag of clothes and stuff from by the door. She was in there a while, and once she was clean and freshly clothed, with damp hair, J led her into the bedroom again. She slumped down onto the bed, and J sat next to her, an arm over her shoulder, and her head resting on his shoulder. They sat there in silence for a while, as the sky outside began to lighten. After a short while, Gwen rose carefully, and limped over to her bag of things that J brought for her. She found her pairs of Dr Martens, some converse, hoodie or two, jeans and a makeup bag. At the bottom she found her Anarchy outfit…  
'What's up?' came J's voice from behind. Gwen straightened up, and said, 'nothing.'

She made her way back to J, and sat next to him, continuing, 'J, I'd be dead without you!' He shrugged, and said, 'Well, who else is gonna get my dye, Brit?' Gwen smiled. She leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek, saying, 'Thank you!' The Joker looked at Gwen, and kissed her gently. She kissed back, but it was very brief, as she pulled away quickly. 'I'm sorry,' she stuttered, looking away. She sit back, and started playing with her hair. J tilted his head, and said, 'I'm not them, Gwen.'  
'I know, J, but, I just can't…I'm sorry.' And with that she hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. J sighed, and went to the bathroom door, about to knock, before hearing her small sobs. The Joker checked his watch, and took another last look at the door, before saying, 'Hey, Brit, I got something that'll cheer you up!'


End file.
